Behind the glares
by Ayane Selznick
Summary: [OOC] Let's say there was no genocide in Uchiha clan. Every time they see each other it was as if they wanted to KILL each other. ItaOC and SasuSaku.
1. Scroll one: First day

**Behind the glares  
**

**Summary**: _[OOC] Let's say there was no genocide for Uchiha clan. Itachi, being a special Jounin and an older brother of Sasuke, has two responsibilities both at work and at home. Sasuke graduated from the Ninja Academy, paired up with Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura, whose older sister is a Jounin_.

* * *

**First Day**  
  
"Sakura-chan!! WAKE UP!!"  
  
[Grr.. what a pain! And I thought she would caress my hair like the other day.] The inner Sakura commented as the real Sakura slowly open her eyes from what seem the greatest dream she had.  
  
But because of someone's voice from downstairs, her dream was cut and she was now pulled back to reality where she thought, her dream would be so impossible. The clenched eyelids are now slowly opening as they reveal small light green eyes. It's supposed to be another normal day, but, with that screeching voice from downstairs, she knows it will never be that normal. Because today is her first day as a Genin (A/N: is she really a Genin by now? Let's see). She stretched out her arms in the air and yawned. She looked at her alarm clock.  
  
'8 am.'  
  
"I hope she won't do that again, because if she did--"  
  
"SAKURA IF YOU DON'T GET UP ON YOUR BED RIGHT NOW I'LL KICK YOUR BUTT OUT OF THE HOUSE NAKED!"  
  
This alarmed her. So she hastily get up from her bed, causing commotion that can be heard downstairs. Speaking of downstairs, a pink long haired girl is currently preparing the breakfast. She's slim, taller, and her hair is longer and darker than Sakura. When she turned around, her small, sharp dark green eyes with a mixture of red resulting to a black color, looked happily at the ceiling, the second floor, rather.  
  
'That girl is so lazy.' She sweatdropped.  
  
In a matter of twenty minutes waiting, the girl who was called Sakura came running down from the flight of stairs. Wearing a red, one piece Cheongsam with white circles at the bottom and two at the shoulders. Proud to be a Genin, she tightens the forehead protector with Konoha insignia in the middle, which is affixed at the top of her head. The older pink haired looked proudly at Sakura, but there's slight dismayed on her face while sitting on the dining table with her right hand supporting her chin while the other is drumming her fingers impatiently on the table.  
  
"Sakura, you should at least lessen beautifying yourself. You're a ninja."  
  
Sakura flinched and one eyebrow is twitching up and down, [As if you're not beautifying yourself.] The inner Sakura complained once more.  
  
The older one noticed Sakura's twitching brows, she gestured her to sit down and started eating. She held out a plate with fried eggs where Sakura slid down one to her plate. Sakura then gets a bread and started eating the breakfast.  
  
"So who's your sensei?" The older one asked while drinking the orange juice.  
  
"We haven't meet him, Kayako-nee-chan. That's why we have to go to Academy after this." After answering her older sister, she started giggling.  
  
Kayako, the name Sakura blurted seconds ago, raised her brow in curiosity, "And why are you giggling?"  
  
Sakura flashed her grin with her cheeks burning in red, "I just hope I'm with Sasuke-kun."  
  
Kayako sweatdrops.  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
A black haired kid was still in his bed, dreaming of something. He's facing the wall and his blanket is scattered on the floor. His face is really attracting or might we say cute or handsome for a 12-yr-old kid. Moments later, a tall, long haired young man entered his room. First thing he noticed is the scattered blanket and as he shifted his eye to the bed, he saw the boy still sleeping quietly. He sighed.  
  
'Why do I always have to wake him up everyday?' He sweatdropped.  
  
He bent his body, getting the blanket on the floor and then went closer to the bed to wake up the little man.  
  
"Sasuke, wake up." No response. His brows twitched. "Sasuke it's 8, wake up." Still no response. 'I'm sick of this wake-up-routine...really.' He sweatdropped once more as a nerve popped out of his right temple. "Sasuke."  
  
Finally the boy murmurs as the older one sighed, however few seconds later there was no response. The little man is still asleep, dreaming.  
  
'Alright you little devil..' He hastily pulled the pillow under Sasuke's head and threw it with a strong force directly to the kid's head.  
  
The kid awakened from the violence as he hastily pulled the pillow from his face. He immediately sat up in attempt to yell at the person who threw the pillow in his face, but as soon as he saw the person across his bed he just kept his mouth shut.  
  
"It's 8. You better clean up before you get out of the house." The older said as he make his way out of the kid's room.  
  
"Aniki, will you teach me some ninjutsu this afternoon?" The little said as he get up from the bed.  
  
"I don't think I have the time to teach you. I've some business to do."  
  
The little boy sighed and pick up the mess around his room. After taking a bath, he immediately clothed himself with blue shirt, white shorts and leg and arm covers. He took out the holster and placed in on his right leg. Making his way to the dining room, he saw his mom already prepared their breakfast. The older version of himself, had rose across the table after finishing his meal. Sasuke watched his older brother went to kitchen, place down the plate and glass he used.  
  
"I'll be out for the whole day, Mom. Ja.." Was his older brother's last words as he disappeared immediately from a puff of smoke.  
  
He admired Itachi so much simply because his older brother is genius, powerful, collected and cool. Being disappointed he is, he haven't had any ideas why his brother have to shoo him away whenever he tries to approach him to teach him about his ninja techniques. He knew his brother is an ANBU, too. And because the Hokage acknowledged him so much, he must have been too busy to finish the given missions. Itachi is so popular to the girls and to the other men since he's recognized as one of the best ninjas in Konoha history. If anything goes well and he's at the right age, the present Hokage might appoint him as the next...  
  
"Sasuke-kun, you should move quickly." A soft spoken woman said while placing a plate on the table for her little son.  
  
He was pulled to reality and sat on the table to start his meal, "Thanks mom.."  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
They've been wandering around the room for about an hour right after Iruka-sensei discussed them about the three-man-team. Or shall we say, waiting for their sensei to show up... Obviously, these newly graduated Genins haven't had the least idea why they should be staying in this room where the others are out there somewhere to start training. The raven-haired kid is sitting on a chair, being elevated from the ground, the pink haired kunoichi and the blonde boy is standing. His hands are clasped together where his forehead is placed. He's watching how the pink haired girl sighed in frustration and listening to the bluffs of the loud blonde boy.  
  
"Why is he late anyway... The others had gone already.." The girl sighed while placing her hands to her waist. She noticed the blonde kid standing from a chair placing a blackboard eraser between the door and the wall. A booby trap. "What are you doing Naruto?"  
  
"Since he's late, he should be punished. Nishishishi..." The blonde boy, Naruto, grinned from ear to ear.  
  
"As if he would fall from that booby trap." The raven haired kid retorted aloud while looking at Naruto.  
  
"Let's just see then!"  
  
After placing the 'booby trap', Naruto immediately pushed the chair and waited for their teacher. As if on cue, the three saw a hand clutching at the door to give his body a way to enter the classroom. Then from their surprise, the chalkboard eraser came landing down to the head of a white haired jounin.  
  
'Seriously, is he a Jounin?' Sasuke asked with his eyes narrowed and obviously dismayed.  
  
"Bwahahahaha!" Was all they could hear from Naruto.  
  
After some seconds of silence, the jounin spoke, "What can I say... My first impression to you guys," the three looked at him, "I hate you." Their face darkened.  
  
_[To be continued]_  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
**[Standard Disclaimers Applied]**  
  
_Author's Note: Well it's pretty obvious that I've meddled with the dialogues and events, it's because I wanted this first part, at least, to have the lighter side! (cough cough) Anyway, you just wait what they will say during the introduction and to the succeeding chapters! Ciao for now!_


	2. Scroll two: Frustration

**Behind the glares**

**Frustration**  
  
When Sakura left their house, Kayako was left alone doing some household chores. She mentally told herself that after sweeping the floor and doing lunch for Sakura, she would get her weapons and head to the building were all Jounins are called for meetings. Indeed, she's starting to be a Jounin and this is her fifth day for being one. She's seventeen and matured slightly due to her past dangerous missions. She even told herself that after two months of being a Jounin, she'd hope to have a request from Hokage for her to become an ANBU. It's rarely to put a girl, err, woman for assassination but she told herself that she won't hesitate to kill.  
  
How cold and an equally opposite of her sister.  
  
After few minutes of sweeping the floor, she gave out a sigh and whispered to herself, "Well done."  
  
She placed the broom to the nearest closet and closed it. She started walking towards her room on the second floor. While doing so, she kept thinking about her first five days of being a Jounin. She's proud that she'd survived the Jounin exams and the fact that there are only two Jounins who passed. One boy and one girl.  
  
Her.  
  
Surprisingly, she even surpassed the strength of the other shinobi, but whatever she thinks, the other had passed. After the exams, the two of them immediately received the Jounin title. Jounin. Sandaime congratulated them and the other Jounins and special Jounins, too.  
  
Special Jounins...  
  
'Kuso...'  
  
Without hesitation, she punched her door, violently making a way for her. She had a hard time pushing that 'thought'. It just popped out of nowhere. Whatever she thinks, wherever she goes, it'll just strike her, unprepared. And it surely pissed her off. Why did she always, as in always, have to end up all her thoughts to one certain person!? To that one certain incident!? Admitting defeat, she let out a sigh.  
  
'This is so frustrating... really.' She told herself and took all of her weapons in her cabinet.  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
When their teacher finally showed up after an hour of waiting, they found themselves sitting on the floor face to face with that certain Jounin. He told them to introduced themselves. Sakura, the pink-haired kunoichi, told him to introduced himself first. He told them his name.  
  
Hatake Kakashi.  
  
And that's all they've got from him.  
  
Sakura covered the side of her mouth as she got Naruto's attention, "We only got his name, after all..."  
  
Sooner, Kakashi-sensei told them, to tell him what they like, dislike, hobbies and ambitions. He gave a signal to Naruto, whom he taught was quite amusing for a shinobi. A clumsy, aggressive, rule-breaker in his team? In his team.  
  
Being the one to start off this introduction, Naruto happily fixed the forehead protector while saying, "I'm Uzumaki Naruto. I love Ramen a lot. I love eating ramen at Ichiraku." He flashed his foxy-grin, "And I will become a Hokage someday! I will surpass all of the previous Hokages!"  
  
What an energetic shinobi he has. In any case, after filling up the first member of his team, he gestured the pink-haired girl to take her turn. The girl smiled cutely.  
  
"I'm Haruno Sakura."  
  
Haruno...  
  
'Rings a bell.'  
  
"I like uhmm... well," She stole glance at Sasuke and lately shook her head, "Some sort of training.. and... and... uhh... my hobbies are reading books and memorizing jutsus." She paused for a while, thinking of what she would fill up for her ambitions.  
  
"Sakura, are you related to Haruno Kayako?" The Jounin butted in with his usual calm tone.  
  
Sakura smiled, "I am. She's my older sister. And she's just starting as a Jounin, like you Kakashi-sensei."  
  
"Aa. Yeah, I saw her five days ago. After the Hokage gave her the title. So.. what's your ambition?"  
  
She paused for a while, thinking that her sensei distracted her for filling up the last category. However, in a sudden flashes of thoughts, she found one. Surprisingly found one.  
  
"My ambition is... I want to surpass my oneechan's record."  
  
"Huh? You're older sister's record?" Naruto butted in, curiosity speaking.  
  
She gave him a weird look and sighed. She must consider her comrade's clueless mind and curiosity at all times.  
  
"She couldn't be a Jounin if she's not strong and talented. Oneechan was great and I idolized her so much."  
  
Kakashi-sensei nodded. She's right on the first statement, but he'll gonna find out if her sister is really great. He'll find out soon. And now that Haruno had done speaking, it'll be the raven-haired kid's turn.  
  
"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I like training a lot. Though I will be grateful if my brother would teach me advance jutsus... I dislike my brother's broken promises." They all stared at him in disbelief but he still went on, "My ambition is..." He trailed off for a while.  
  
"What is it Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked, curiously.  
  
"...to surpass my aniki's record." He continued with serious, yet sparkling eyes.  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
Today was another regular day for Uchiha Itachi. Since he's a Special Jounin and there's nothing much to do because there are no missions left in the office, he decided to roam around the village, all by himself. He always wanted to be alone and the mere fact that he's an introvert, nobody understands what he thinks. But then again, he's a natural genius and naturally handsome that most girls cou--  
  
"ITACHI-SAN!!"  
  
'Oh please, not now.'  
  
Ahem. Most girls WOULD appear every now and then just to chase the poor guy. Inwardly, he had cursed himself for being handsome, and genius, and powerful. He had cursed his talent, but he needed it, no matter what, in this world. He thought of a simple way of escaping them.  
  
Disappear in a puff of smoke.  
  
"Kuso! Where'd he go!?"  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
Faraway from where he just stood from, Itachi let out a sigh of relief. He was a Special Jounin and everybody thinks, even for he himself, that he doesn't fear anything... well, except those shrieking women. They always giggle and shriek whenever they saw him. He was a hottie, that's for sure. And he wasn't afraid of the girls... it was because he could just imagine how they would glomp at him, violently. How he hated it...  
  
'Was there something I could do to drive them away?'  
  
He looked around the place where he was standing until something caught his attention. A long dark pink-haired kunoichi was going out of the house. He narrowed his eyes for further observations and knew her somehow, perhaps... a long time ago. The girl was locking the front door of her house and was slowly turning around to face the other direction. Before she could leave, she double checked her weapons and started jumping from one place to another.  
  
All Itachi could ever do was to sigh.  
  
'That girl...'  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
When Kayako arrived at the building, she was greeted by her fellow Jounins. She smiled back at them as she head straight to the Hokage.  
  
"Good morning, Hokage-sama." She greeted with her brighten face.  
  
The Hokage was puffing his smoke until he realized that there's somebody at the corner of his eyes. And that somebody wasn't just anybody, because she was one of the newest chosen Jounin of Konoha. A rare, beautiful Jounin, that is. Rare because of her long and dark-pink hair, because of her seductive appearance and because of her childish mask where behind it was a threatening shadow.  
  
"Ah, Kayako. Good morning." He released the smoke from his mouth. "What brings you here?"  
  
Her smile completely faded away as her serious mask emerged on the surface, "Do I have a mission?"  
  
"Yes. Jounins always have missions." The Hokage reached out a scroll from his table and extended his hands as if giving it to her. "You have a day to finish that first mission."  
  
"That short?" There was a slight annoyance the way she utter her words.  
  
"Did you have confidence to finish the exams? Probably you have the same confidence in every missions you are to take."  
  
She didn't think twice. The Hokage was right. What's in her that made her retort about a day to finish a mission? Jounins have to expect this kind of mission every now and then, or maybe, much more to it. Did she want to become part of the Anbu team?  
  
She reached out for the scroll and kept it inside his pockets, "I'll do it."  
  
_[To be continued]_  
  
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**[Standard Disclaimers Applied]  
**  
_Author's Note: Obviously, this chapter focused on Kayako and Itachi . I'm so damn frustrated and busy. My friends had FINALLY convinced me to go back in Ragnarok Online. I admit, I missed those days, however, what am I to do when my writer's block suddenly came into the surface?! I really wanted to continue all my fics!_


	3. Scroll three: Walking home

**Behind the glares  
**

**Walking Home  
**  
**bold** - inner Sakura  
  
Afternoon has always been hot and humid. The sun was set on the sky, striking strong rays of sunlight to the surface of the earth. It was damn hot. On a scorching heat of the atmosphere, Sakura wiped out the sweat from her forehead using the back of her hand. She was strolling down the road to go back to her house for lunch. The meeting with Kakashi-sensei was dismissed after he had told them to meet him tomorrow morning. She let out a sigh when she recalled what he had said, which made her head hurt.  
  
"Do not eat breakfast 'cause you might vomit."  
  
She narrowed her eyes, 'What's with tomorrow's survival training... It scares me...'  
  
Maybe because she was too much focused to what she was thinking about, but then again, it came to a surprise that someone was apparently waiting for her to pass by the area. She stopped her trails and wheeled her head to the side...  
  
'This can't be!'  
  
A chestnut brown haired-boy with an almost similar hair style of Uchiha Sasuke was leaning against the wall with two of his companions sitting both of his sides. He's also a ninja of Konoha, but the kid was not even close to Sasuke's level in Ninja skills, but he was claiming that he's so damn greater than the Uchiha. In other words, a trying hard brat.  
  
"Yo! Sakura-chan." He called out with a slightly sexy tone.  
  
'No... not this time...' Sakura backed away more than three steps but was caught by the boy with dark brown messy hair.  
  
"Sakura-san, we've waited for you to pass by..."  
  
The reddish-brown haired added, "So you better not run away. You know, like the ol' days... talking with Ren is not bad, ne?"  
  
**BASTARDS!!**  
  
Sakura wrenched her elbows from the boy with messy hair, unfortunately it didn't helped her.  
  
"Oi, don't be so mean. We're not gonna hurt you. All you have to do is go with Ren."  
  
Sakura was desperate to runaway from these guys, but since these fellows were also ninjas from the Ninja Academy (who had graduated before Sakura), she knew she cannot fight them all. In a moment, the boy named Ren, walked towards her with a malicious look in his eyes.  
  
'Don't come any closer... or I'll scream!'  
  
And when he's about to touch Sakura's cheek a pebble struck his hand in a way that it was slapped away. They looked to where it was thrown and saw a silhoutte of a boy standing under the shade of a tree. His arms were crossed in front of his chest and he was certainly looking at them.  
  
"Who the HELL are you?" Ren asked while clutching his now injured hand.  
  
The boy under the tree didn't respond which gave the three another level of anger. Ren couldn't control his anger any longer that he hastily challenged the boy.  
  
"Damn you! Ruining my day!! Show yourself and fight me!" He already prepared a fighting stance which did not even make an impression to the boy he wanted to challenge.  
  
"What kind of shinobi are you? Acting so pathetic and now challenging someone younger than you? Tsk. Underestimating huh?"  
  
"Bastard!! Get him!!" Ren ordered as two of his companions dashed towards the boy under the shade of the tree.  
  
Sakura who was just standing behind Ren was probably familiar with the boy's voice. Her hearing senses never failed her, but she was just too stunned to realize that the boy who is saving her was...  
  
'Yeah, come here...' The boy under the tree thought as he was slowly revealing himself from the shadows.  
  
Sakura was shocked...  
  
Black spiky hair...  
  
Blue shirt...  
  
Arm and leg protectors...  
  
...none other than...  
  
'Sasuke-kun!?'  
  
Shurikens and kunais have been thrown to Sasuke's direction, but his silhoutte weren't moving at all. And when it 'him', they all heard the loud sound of POOF.  
  
Kawarimi no jutsu.  
  
Ren and his gang surround their area to find the Uchiha kid. They wheeled their heads from side to side but they found nothing. Maybe they were preoccupied by their anger that they didn't even feel Sasuke's movements from below.  
  
He kicked the messy hair's legs then as he was going down in a slow motion, Sasuke kicked him again which made the poor guy slammed on the wall. Next thing that Sasuke did was pulling the scarf of the reddish-brown haired boy and slammed him across the tree. These two boys were absolutely put to a deep sleep, rather, unconscious state.  
  
Now, it's only Ren who was standing face to face with the Uchiha kid.  
  
"You... why are you messing with us!?" Ren asked while pointing fingers to Sasuke.  
  
Sasuke ignored his sentences as he was walking very slowly towards Ren. His hands on his pockets and his deadly cold stares were shooting effectively on Ren.  
  
"Why are--?"  
  
Ren was even frightened when he saw Sasuke slowly picking up some kunais from his holster.  
  
"I'll get you next time, Uchiha!" Ren shouted when he retreated before Sasuke could even throw another kunais.  
  
At the same time, the two unconscious minions of Ren woke up and followed him. Sasuke shrugged off this incident and looked around to look at to someone. And when he found her, he walked towards her.  
  
'Uh oh...'  
  
"Are you alright?" Sasuke asked while standing a few inches away from Sakura.  
  
Sakura was looking directly to Sasuke's eyes and there was an obvious stunning expression in her face. She had almost forgotten that Sasuke asked her if she was okay, well it took her a few seconds before she replied.  
  
"I... I'm ok..."  
  
"Who are they? Why aren't you fighting back?"  
  
"Well... I-I...." Slowly but obviously, she was turning red in an instant.  
  
Sasuke sighed. This girl is really unpredictable and so he continued...  
  
"Tell me, how often they do this?"  
  
Sakura hesitated. Is it really okay to tell Sasuke about this?  
  
"Ever since I've entered the academy..."  
  
If she was just looking straight to the Uchiha kid, she might have seen his eyes widened in surprise. She was looking down to the ground with her cheeks fully blushing. She really can't believe the fact that Uchiha Sasuke saved her, from her... uhhh... persistent suitor. In a moment, she fiddled her hands and slowly looked at Sasuke.  
  
"Uhmm... Sasuke-kun?"  
  
Sasuke put his hands inside his pockets and looked at his pink haired teammate as if waiting to what she's about to tell him.  
  
"Arigatou..."  
  
"That's not a problem. Anyway, is it ok if I walk you home?"  
  
This time, she didn't look down the ground to hide her blushing cheeks. She looked straight in his eyes as if searching for an explanation as to why he is walking her home.  
  
Surprisingly, our beloved Uchiha Sasuke looked away to hide something, but he answered her right away.  
  
"I have a feeling that they will still follow you after what happened here, so it'd be safe that I'll be accompanying you."  
  
"Oh... I see..." She slowly brought her eyes to the ground and added, "Ok. Thank you so much."  
  
It had been the most silent walk Sakura had ever experienced. But there was probably a reason... and that reason would be...  
  
Sasuke is accompanying her on her way to her home.  
  
She liked the kid so much, but she did keep it deep inside her. Ino and some girls had been chasing him and as far as she knows, they really like him. But she thought she was different. Indeed, because she's not part of the Sasuke Fans Club or something. And even though she's part of a team where Sasuke is, she's still focusing to make herself a valuable kunoichi (female ninja).  
  
After some walks, Sakura and Sasuke arrived at the small Haruno residence. Sakura walked a little further to open the door of her house.  
  
"Uh...Ahem." Sasuke knows he'd caught the girl's attention.  
  
Sakura turned around, with the key still placed in the keyhole.  
  
"What is it, Sasuke-kun?"  
  
"I'll be leaving."  
  
"Oh..." **YOU WILL STAY NO MATTER WHAT!!** The inner Sakura argumented while the other was thinking of a way on how she will repay his actions earlier.  
  
When she felt the boy already leaving, she immediately came up with something.  
  
"Uhm, wait Sasuke-kun!"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"I'll make you lunch..."  
  
"Thanks, but I'll be having lunch at home."  
  
"U-uhm... it's a way of thanking you, Sasuke-kun... please?" She pleaded.  
  
_To be continued_  
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**SDA  
**_A/N: I'm SO SO SORRY for making you guys wait for the update!! I was inspired by some theme songs and poof I wrote about this. I told you, this story has a major OOC!! You wouldn't expect Sasuke accompanying Sakura in the series right? Well here goes the opposite! Also I wouldn't let him do that out of his concern (the explanation says all there, up there!) or he just wanted to. I will add Naruto for the next scene or the next time they will walk home. OH, btw, in here, Sakura does not play her usual role as the pathetic-avid-fan of Sasuke. She keeps her emotions, ok? She won't shout out loud her feelings for him. Remember, she has her older sister (my OC, Kayako) and that means she knows the proper behaviour of a girl.. hihihihi  
  
Anyways, I was happy knowing that out of the two chapters I've made so far, there are already 8 reviews. I hope you guys continue to support me (or encourage me) to write/continue this fic. I'd love to hear your suggestions, so if you want to tell it to me, why not? You're free to do so. But I'd hate to hear some flames and nonsense criticisms. That'll do nothing, you're making yourself in shame. Another thing, expect ItaKaya and SasuSaku here with a mixture of NaruSakuSasu. Itachi is a nice guy... he is!!! _


	4. Scroll four: Mission Completed

**Behind the glares**

**Mission Completed**  
  
Successful as she was plastering a wide grin on her face, Sakura had convinced Sasuke to eat lunch with her. He had been waiting patiently at their living room while watching TV. Sometimes he would go to the kitchen and asked her if she could handle it by herself. She would say she's fine and told him to wait a little longer in the living room.  
  
She thought that Sasuke might want to go home after lunch because he will train himself. Or was it because he's too hungry?  
  
'Whatever... But I have to finish this meal for him! Oneechan made me lunch, actually for the both of us... well Sasuke-kun is so special to me so I have to make him a special meal.'  
  
After a minute or so, she was done preparing the meal and invited Sasuke to get himself to the dining room. Slowly, he rose from the sofa and walked towards the dining room where Sakura was preparing the table for them.  
  
Sasuke sighed. This is all too much just for thanking him. Anyway, because he's hungry he admitted himself to the chair across the table, and across Sakura's chair.  
  
"I hope you enjoy the meal Sasuke-kun!" She merrily said while serving the dish to her guest.  
  
"Hn.."  
  
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Faraway from Konoha, the newly Jounin girl had set off on her one-man mission. It may seem difficult for her because it's her first mission and what's worst is that she has to assassinate a murderer from Mist (nope, not Zabuza). The location is still within the Fire Country, nonetheless, a little too far from her home. She doesn't understand why she has to finish this solo mission in just one day. The Hokage must have expected too much from her or so because she's the only female jounin who had graduated this year.  
  
She sighed.  
  
'Whatever he had expected from me. I'll just do what I have to do.'  
  
She hopped again and landed at the entrance of the small village. Before she could ever do something, she used Henge no Jutsu so that nobody would suspect her that she came here for business. When she changed to a common lady, she walked down the street, going to any pubs that she could see.  
  
'So right... I'm going to assassinate that treacherous servant from village Elder here. Make him stop the assassination and pay for the crimes he had committed months ago after the said elder was appointed in this district.'  
  
She sighed, yes, again.  
  
'Okay so, I'll do the ninja way. Inquire people, absorb details, scheme and poof assasination plan.'  
  
Walking so casual, she started going inside a certain pub, where she knew, she could find a valuable information.  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
"Arigatou..." He silently said while standing at the door of the Haruno's current residence.  
  
The happy pink haired girl smiled cheerfully at him, "That's my line, Sasuke-kun. Oh well, are you going to train for tomorrow's survival training?"  
  
The brooding boy nodded...  
  
With his face blushing so red...  
  
And simply turned it away so that the girl won't even notice it.  
  
"I see..." The girl sighed while contemplating on what she will do...  
  
"What about you?" Sasuke said, though he didn't mean to say it out loud.  
  
The girl placed a finger on her lips while looking at the ceiling, resuming her thinking, "I guess I have to stay at home to wait for my sister." She looked at him again and smiled, "Don't tire yourself too much or you'll be late tomorrow."  
  
"...okay." He answered, slowly turning his heels away from the girl's residence.  
  
While watching his retreating back from where she stood, she shouted, "Good bye Sasuke-kun!"  
  
The boy meekly smiled.  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
Finally, the dusk had finally come and most of the villagers of Konoha village may either be staying outside or inside of their houses. Some still on their nightly business doing their things. Others, well, err... you can have it your way.  
  
Ahem. Well it seems everything is lively as it seems. Lights already sparkling and some shinobis are enjoying themselves after a tiresome mission. Although the rules says about not drinking sake, there were most ninjas drinking sake in hidden pubs. But they weren't dealing, scratch that, flirting with women. Ahh how this ninjas were itching so much to get a hold of a woman. Ooops...  
  
The heir of the Uchiha clan, yes, our beloved Uchiha Itachi, was now strolling (AGAIN and at NIGHT!) under the chilly breeze of the cold night. He was chased, yet again, by his MORBID fans club and definitely (because he's a genius) he found a way to lose them. But it was really tiring, considering the laps he had to run and tactics he had made just to LOSE them.  
  
Sighed.  
  
It always happen everyday, whenever he was walking by himself, thinking deeply. He may blame the Hokage, but who has he to do it? There's no mission coming up ahead, so he couldn't retaliate more.  
  
Sighed.  
  
Walking like this will surely get himself another trouble if one of his fan girls saw him.  
  
'Might as well head home...'  
  
As soon as he was about to go to his destination, he sensed someone's presence drawing closer to him. He knew who this person is so he came to a stop and smirked.  
  
"Hatake...Kakashi."  
  
Hearing his name, the white haired Jounin crinkled his eyes, as if it smiled, and said a greeting.  
  
"Yo! How's your day?"  
  
The young special Jounin, turned around to the speaker, watching how the other walked and stopped in front of him.  
  
"Not a good day." He shook his head and shrugged.  
  
"Oh... hehe. Must've been hard to have so many fan girls in this village eh?"  
  
The young man grunted.  
  
"So... Itachi, any information covered yet?" Sometimes its a wonder why this perverted jounin would always greet him merrily only to get to a deep serious topic.  
  
Itachi nodded slowly. 'Yeah and something's brewing in my head now...'  
  
The next movement made our beloved Itachi twitched his brow and a secret pink blush appeared so suddenly in his tan cheeks.  
  
Kakashi... as being Kakashi...  
  
Even in front of a seventeen year old Special Jounin...  
  
Had pulled off his very TRUSTY book and read its content, as if there was no boy in front of him.  
  
Mind you, he giggled every single second his eyes would travel to read the contents of the said book.  
  
'Darn this perverted white haired guy... all he ever do was read that perverted book of his...'  
  
"Kakashi, I'm going home." He announced, immediately turning away, to hide the blush that had appeared on his cheeks.  
  
"By the way Itachi-kun, have you seen the Haruno girl?"  
  
Kakashi was never wrong...  
  
Even if he only has one visible eye.  
  
...He knew that Itachi just froze in this position.  
  
"Yeah, why?" He hastily pulled his cold voice out of his frozen state.  
  
"Is she that great?"  
  
Itachi momentarily sweatdropped. "Why ask me?"  
  
The Jounin closed his book and turned around to face Itachi, "Because you knew her best."  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
A figure crouched down to another figure who was lying dead on the ground. The figure checked on the impulse of the body's neck, checking if he was still alive. Forming a satisfied smile under the white animal mask, the figure hastily disposed the dead body on the prepared burial ground.  
  
'Your fate says, go to Hell.'  
  
After the burial, the figure took one last glance and disappeared in a puff of smoke.  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
Kayako, after the solo mission, came in front of the Hokage's desk. She just finished her report and is waiting for the Hokage to give his compliments.  
  
"Well... you can see me anytime you feel like completing a mission. Or just wait for me to call you."  
  
"Hai."  
  
The Sandaime Hokage smiled at her, "After three months, you will have the option to teach at the Academy... for Genin level."  
  
Kayako smiled at him, "Hai, Arigatou gozaimasu." After giving the final bow, she turned around attempting to march towards the door until...  
  
"One more thing,"  
  
She tilted her head to show that she was listening.  
  
"You did well."  
  
_(To be Continued)_  
-----------------------------------------  
(**SDA, if you don't get the meaning of this acronym, it simply means, Standard Disclaimers Applied - I'm lazy typing the disclaimer all over again... hehehe)  
**_**Author's Note:** Phew, another fanfic done. Oi sweety! (Dark Assailant) Thanks very much for reviewing my fics and to Izumi17, too. Btw, were you the Sculd cosplayer last AQ2k3? I kind of forgotten it, but I think kuya Lan posted the Sculd cosplayer and then I saw your name. I've never been to the board so correct me if I'm wrong.  
  
My beloved readers, I would love to hear what you are expecting in this story. I would appreciate if you honestly tell me what it is. (grins) I'm a friendly writer, so I will absorb anything you said. And besides, your reviews are so IMPORTANT to me. (sigh) I, honestly, didn't reread this one so bear with me :P _


	5. Scroll five: Meet their siblings Part O...

**Behind the glares**

**Meet their Siblings: Part One**

After the whole day solo mission, Kayako, made her way to their residence only to find her little sister watching another soap opera in the TV. She grunted. She had persuaded her to train thousand times before rather than stick her butt on the couch in front of the TV screen. Well, like any older siblings would do... a round of earsplitting lecture will do.

"Didn't I TELL you to TRAIN harder than WATCHING that STUPID SAPPY SOAP OPERA?! You're still YOUNG to even WATCH IT!!"

With a flash, she grabbed the remote control and pressed the power button. The TV screen turned black.

"ONEECHAN!! You didn't have to do that! Besides who will clean this house if I didn't stay here!" Sakura was trying hard to pry her sister's fingers on the remote control.

Kayako pulled her sister's grip and continued her lecture, "I know I'll be busy for the coming missions but I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN MY RESPONSIBILITES HERE!! Say, why are we having this conversation... I'm talking about you!!" She pointed accusingly at her little sister, "Because you're not TRAINING!! How will you survive your missions if you don't strengthen yourself!!"

"But onee--"

"No buts! Now, you have to show me your Gen jutsu! Make me sleep!! If you don't I swear I'll ban you from watching that soap opera for the rest of your LIFE!!!" Kayako screeched.

"You don't have to be that harsh to me! Please, don't make me overwork now I have to attend tomorrow's survival training at five."

At least her sister calmed down. "Eh? Survival training you say?" The beseeching Sakura bobbed her head slowly, watching how her sister's anger recede for a matter of seconds. "Who's your sensei again?"

"Hatake Kakashi..." The little Sakura answered as though she was at first hesitated to answer.

"Oh...that perverted messy haired Jounin huh."

"Do you have any ideas?" Her older sister raised her brows, "I mean, how he will give us that survival training?"

"Uh no. I don't know anything about him." She laughed inwardly.

"Oh... so oneechan..."

"Yes?"

"Will you let me rest?"

"Well I guess you'll need that tomorrow, so go take your time to rest."

"Thanks oneechan." The little Sakura smiled and kissed Kayako on the left cheek before she ran towards the stairs.

When Kayako heard Sakura's footsteps as if going to her room, Kayako then went straight to the kitchen and prepared her dinner. But when she set her eyes on the dining table, she couldn't help but smile.

Sakura had prepared the dinner for her so all she has to do is to sit and eat.

-----------------------------------------

The next day, Sakura was already awake at four o'clock in the morning. She didn't understand, but somehow excitement, curiosity and nervousness found their way on her mind. When she finished her morning rituals, which took twenty minutes, she prepared her own breakfast and left a note on the table. She didn't have to wake up her older sister, since she knew that Kayako had stayed so late last night only to watch her favorite movies. She noted, too, that Kayako bought another movie.

She smirked in that thought.

Anyway, she hastily dashed out of their house towards the meeting place.

-----------------------------------------

It was comfortable.

Really, really comfortable...

Especially when you're in your own bed, sleeping. Somehow you could feel last night's cool breeze that lingered inside your room. Then, there's the beautiful dreams while your eyes were closed. Although unclear, you may even remember something from it.

The boy shifted his position to his left only to hug his favorite pillow. Add the right leg over it. He even snuggled the thing to him to be more comfortable. Then there was a ghostly smile on his lips when he felt that comfy.

Aww.. isn't he cute?

Soon after, footsteps can be heard. It seems like it's approaching Sasuke's room. And then the person muttered something about 'his little brother being so lazy' and 'making him a human alarm clock, why didn't their mom do this?' and some sort. Arriving at his destination, he saw his little brother's legs and arms hugging his beloved white human size pillow.

And that made his one brow twitched in annoyance. However, before he would even explode right there and then, he briskly walked towards the bed and called out his little brother's name.

"Oi Sasuke, wake up."

Sasuke did not move but replied to his brother,"Mmmmmmm...."

'Why is it always have to be you who would destroy my morning?' Itachi sighed at his own question and finally shaking his little brother who was still hugging his pillow.

"Sa...ku....ra..." The little Uchiha muttered while turning his body to the opposite position.

And to that, however, the older Uchiha remained startled at his own little brother.

'This brat was actually dreaming about a girl!?'

He decided to find out who exactly this 'Sakura' girl in Sasuke's dream... and to do that, my friends, he shook his little brother...vehemently.

"What!?" Sasuke finally woke up from his slumber and was now sitting on his bed while messing up with his hair. "I'm having a nice dream here!! What the--?!" He looked to his side only to see his brother smirking at him. "Oh...brother..." That, my friends, say that the little Uchiha blushed in embarrassment.

Itachi crossed his arms over his chest, "So little brother, whose this 'Sakura' in your dream?" He emphasize the name as he speak to his brother.

The younger Uchiha looked to the other direction and muttered, "No one."

Itachi noticed under his brother's bangs that there's a tinge of pink on his cheeks. 'Ah so I have to find out whose this Sakura girl by myself...'

Changing the subject, he returned to his usual commanding mode, "Get up and get ready for your survival training. Didn't you tell mother that you're going to leave before sun rise?"

"Ok.." Sasuke immediately got off of his bed, fixed it and went towards his bathroom. However, before he could get himself completely in to that room he heard his brother speak.

"A piece of advice, brother." Sasuke stopped walking as if preparing to listen to his brother's words. They've been like this when Sasuke entered the Ninja Academy and for that, he was so lucky to have a brother caring for him... "Do not let your mind be infested by adoration such that it would only burden your training concentration. Not only that, you cannot control your own fantasies."

Sasuke took in some air.

"In short, stop being pervert."

And to that, Sasuke immediately launched himself to his brother.

...A morning brotherly fight.

---------------------------

Three hours after Sakura left their house, Kayako had finally woken up from her deep slumber. Indeed she had slept so late last night because of the movie she watched. The movie was about horror and suspense. And...gore. She has this strange craving for horror movies and she wasn't afraid at all, except for one... Porcelain Human Size Dolls. Anyway, the movie DID make her sleep a little difficult. The violence it showed did not leave her mind. But, as a kunoichi, it would be a common thing to see everyday. Part of the lives, they say.

She was still on her pyjamas when she get out of her bed and went downstairs. She prepared herself a nice warm breakfast and then let herself relax on their couch. A thing that she hated most in the morning was there are no worth watching programs.

'Oh shit.'

She's not supposed to get herself so relaxed such as this. She must dress up like any Jounins in their village. She had almost forgotten that she's a Jounin and there's always a mission prepared for them... well most of the time they're the ones who asks for missions. So all she did was clean the mess in the kitchen, take a bath, change her clothes and left a note to Sakura.

'I hope there's gotta be a new mission waiting for me...'

-----------------------------------------

After his little brother left their home, he went back to his sleeping quarters to continue what had left from his dream. Unfortunately, he cannot go back to sleep. He wanted to but something won't let him sleep. Grunting, he opened his eyes while lying on his bed and looked up on the ceiling. It was really really too early to go out of the house. There's no meeting today neither missions waiting for him. And like the other times that he would woke up like this, he would visit the academy or hang out with Shisui, a newly promoted ANBU Captain. Shisui was like a brother to him. Most of the time they would sit under the shades of trees and talk something about what happened during the day... which would end up throwing each other some comments and criticisms. At least Shisui wasn't like his little brother, who, after being defeated verbally, would just launch himself entering a physical combat.

Another option would be visiting the Uchiha complex and talk to some Police Corps. From that, he would be able to grasp new information as to what was happening around the village or outside the village.

'Fuck...'

He had almost forgotten that he was doing a 'mission' paired up with Kakashi. He was currently spying to some people for about three days. He was careful and observant while doing it and also there has been a plan formulated in his head already. He sat up from his bed and looked at the time on the alarm clock.

'7:30 am'

Still too early to move on but he must do what he has to do. And so, he got up from his bed, went to his bathroom and shut the door.

-----------------------------------------

When she arrived at the Hokage tower, the Hokage wasn't around. The people said that he was attending an important meeting in Wind Country. Leaders such as them were talking about 'stopping war' or 'preventing ignorant leaders to start war'. Peace is what the village leaders wanted to have. But... it was impossible to be at peace at all times. There are always so many evil people around the world, preparing to demolish every single peace that one had been established.

Sigh.

So there's no mission waiting for her. She walked out of the office and decided to have a stroll around the village. Usually, she would visit the Yamanaka Flower shop to buy flowers to fix the flower arrangement in their house so that it would look fresh and inviting. The smell of the blossoming flowers could give life to their home. And so, she entered the shop and heard the bell on the door making a sound that somebody had just entered.

"Good morning! What can I do to help you?" Was the greeting when she stepped in.

Kayako smiled sweetly at the girl who was never a stranger to her.

Yamanaka Ino, only daughter of Yamanaka family, owner of the shop.

"Good morning, Ino." She said while choosing the flowers on the huge containers.

"Kayako-nee-chan! It's nice to see you again!" Ino hugged the dark pink haired kunoichi and embraced her tightly. "I missed you!!" She added.

Kayako smiled back at her and even hugged her back. "Hey don't you have any survival training for today?" She asked after pulling herself from the blonde kunoichi.

"Hmm... I do. But our sensei told us that we'll be meeting him after lunch."

"Oh I see. Sakura had gone out earlier." Kayako continued walking along the bundle of flowers surrounded her and Ino. "And I think she'll come back happily."

"How do you know?"

Kayako looked back at Ino and said, "I just know."

-----------------------------------------

Itachi was having a peaceful minute when Shisui arrived. They were sitting at the edge of the bridge that ends on the shallow surface of the lake. Itachi had already known Shisui for the past years and he had admitted that his best friend was one hell of a loud mouth Uchiha. He must be similar from that fox boy only that Shisui had never done stupid things.

Anyway, Shisui had invaded the privacy of our beloved Uchiha Itachi.

"Hey, Itachi." Shisui started, waving his hands while talking to Itachi, although the former had his back facing him. "Obviously no mission today huh. I thought you'll be the other Special Jounin to escort the Hokage."

Itachi did not bother to look back at him when he replied, "Hokage does not need someone as strong as he is when he's out of the village. Besides, there will be no ninjas to protect the village when he's away."

'From the way he speak, it's obvious that he thinks highly of himself.' Shisui thought.

"Ahem. You sounded like you're too confident that you're going to take the Hokage's position when he's not around." Shisui continued to tease.

"Of course I am." Itachi monotonously replied.

Shisui pouted behind Itachi. 'I've had to erase my doubts... for someone like his age, he sure has a lot of confidence.'

While thinking about the person in front of him, the subject of his thoughts broke his train of thoughts.

"Are you here to test my confidence again?" Itachi looked at him, "What do you want?"

Shisui only give him a questioning look and said, "I just wanted to ask if Sasuke's doing fine with his sensei."

Itachi resumed watching the calm flow of water on the surface of the lake, "He was just starting with survival training. I warned him not to fail it otherwise he will never ever hear anything from me."

"Threatening your little brother again?"

"I'm not. Just making sure he has the guts to face that sensei." He answered as he was slowly rising up from his former position.

"Who's their teacher?" Shisui noticed that Itachi was walking away from the bridge by passing through him and going to... God-knows-where.

"Hatake Kakashi."

Shisui started thinking who that Hatake Kakashi would be until he heard a poof sound in the air.

Itachi left.

'OH!! Kakashi! I know him!'

-----------------------------------------

Sun had risen, stayed high in the sky and finally setting down. Kayako had done nothing but clean the house, help some people and trained when she had time. She was just waiting for her sister's return and inquire her of what happened during their survival training. Of course, she believed her little sister would pass that, but with Kakashi? She doubted.

She slumped down on the couch again and started channel-surfing to watch something that could interest her.

'Dammit... just another boring day...'

Her eyes lazily looked directly to the TV screen and stopped pressing the buttons on the remote control when she spotted a movie that she had never watched before. Lazily, she grabbed the nearest pillow and buried it to her stomach, placing both of her hands to cover it.

While her eyes glued on the TV screen, a several knock on the door could be heard.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Oneechan?"

Oh. Kayako's little sister. Haruno Sakura.

"You're sister is home?" A voice of a boy could be heard from the other side of the door.

"I just hope she's in there..." Sakura's voice came to a reply and started knocking again on the door.

Kayako's eyebrow rose in curiosity when she just heard a young man's voice blending with her little sister's. However, before she could open the door, she could feel something familiar around the atmosphere...

'Dangerous? No... It couldn't be it...'

"Onee--"

The door slightly opened and Sakura could see some strands of dark pink hair between the door and the door frame.

"Uhm, can we go in?" Sakura shyly asked looking at her sister.

"...sure."

Kayako left the door half opened and went straight to the kitchen to prepare the dinner. She heard three pairs of feet walking inside the house. Walking slowly from the fridge, she took some veggies and fishes from it.

"Onee-chan, Naruto and Sasuke-kun are here. They are my teammates." Sakura introduced from the living room.

The living room and the kitchen was not as far as it seems that they could hear each other's voice. And to that, she inquired her sister about what happened today.

"Did you pass the survival training?"

"We did. But we thought we..." Before Sakura continued her statement, she heard her older sister smirked from the kitchen.

"I knew it."

Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura looked at each other for a second before they turned their heads to the kitchen.

Naruto asked her, "You knew what?"

They didn't receive a reply from her for about ten seconds. But during that time, she had emerged from the kitchen and was walking towards the dining table.

"He's a bit tricky. He was not interested to your perfomance, rather, giving importance to teamwork and valuing each other like a family."

Naruto crossed his arms over his chest and bobbed his head up and down, showing that he had agreed to what Sakura's sister just said to them. Then they heard her preparing the meal on the table, such that, it's like Sakura had invited them for dinner to celebrate their victory for passing the survival training.

"Sakura, you can invite your teammates to eat with us."

Before Sakura could utter some words, Naruto immediately dashed to the dining table sat acrossed Kayako's place and started digging on his meal. All the people inside the house except for himself sweatdropped at his manner and stood frozen while watching him devouring the food. Kayako cannot stop this boy, she knew him from the very start and oddly she's taking a liking for this kid. Anyway, she called out to her sister again to invite the kid whose name was Sasuke.

"Hey Sakura, why don't you come over here with Sasuke?"

"Sure." Sakura replied and faced Sasuke who was standing right behind her. "Let's go Sasuke-kun, it's like we're celebrating a victory." She smiled brightly at him.

"Uh...okay." The boy lowered his head and proceeded to the dining table where he saw Naruto and Kayako already seated. 'Dammit. Her sister was as pretty as her...' He shook away this thought and went straight to the vacant chair which was next to Sakura.

However, what they did not know was...

Kayako was slowly... very slowly... looking at the last member of their team to sit and eat with them.

Everything was in slow motion when she lifted her head and focused her eyes on the torso of the boy. The first thing she saw was the white short then the arm covers on both arms. Soon, she goes up and noticed the blue T-shirt with large collar and then...

White skin...

Familiar lips...

Nose...

Cheeks...

Hair color and style...

..and the most important thing that made her thoughts undoubtful was...

His EYES.

On the other hand, Sasuke noticed that he was been observed from a small distance. He sensed the origin of the eyes only to be surprised when he was looking at her eye to eye.

She was...err, Kayako was...

Really really...

Really really really...

ANGRY.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN HERE UCHIHA?!"

_(To be continued)   
_-------------------------------------   
**(SDA)   
Author's Note**: Hehe, sorry guys for the long wait. My break has ended and so, another pressure would be pressed on me because of the second semester projects and new system for learning. In any case, I hope you liked this chapter. Hehehe, I left you hanging for the first hint. You'll have to wait for the next chapter for further hints and finally the truth.

I'm very very as in very happy to know that you guys were there to R&R my stories, particularly this one. I appreciate it so much (that I want to get you guys and hug you so tight!)

Uhm to answer the questions, this story might and will revolve only to the older siblings of Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura, but of course, Uzumaki Naruto will have his part on this one. The pairings? From the last chapters, it was obvious that there's a LITTLE SasuSaku pairings. Naruto would always be Naruto, hehehe. But as soon as you get to know the story, you'll find out the MAIN pairings.


	6. Scroll six: Meet their siblings Part Two

**Behind the glares**

**Meet their Siblings: Part Two**

Uchiha Itachi had gone out for another round of strolling again. Sure it was already dark, but knowing him, he liked strolling during night rather than morning. Well, that's because half the women population of the village would SIMPLY run after him in attempt to get a hug from him.

When he arrived at the small park, he felt a welcomed atmosphere embraced his skin. Which made his lips curved up a little in what we call as smile. He looked around the calm and green surroundings under the sparkling stars of the midnight blue sky and decided to approach the lone, empty bench, resting under a large tree.

Crunching sounds of his foot on the grass was the only thing he could hear. As he stood in front of the bench, he slowly crouched down, hands extended and finally landing on the bench with a soft thud of his butt. He leaned his back, placed his elbows on the edge of the bench that was behind him and looked up on the tree with his dark eyes.

It wasn't rarely to find peace every minute of his day.

But he must admit, he was really tired of escaping from those girls...

BUT! (Yes another but) He wasn't a gay. Like his little brother, he just didn't want annoying girls spreading their arms on him neither kiss them thousand times. Deep (very very deep) inside him, he admitted that he likes girls. Although there are so many things that a girl must have before he completely likes her. Like...

A girl must be a kunoichi.

He didn't want his girlfriend, or by luck be his future wife, a civilian. He wanted her as part of the community that he's in to so that she would understand everything he does for the future. Anxieties would always come but the point is, at least the girl's anxiety is within the boundaries of what he assumed as a reasonable anxiety.

A girl must never cling to childish actions such that it would be a hindrance during their missions.

Alright, so she's a kunoichi, but a flirtatious one? That's a big no-no for him. He didn't like girls, particularly young women, who always make themselves beautiful during the missions or something like beautifying themselves in front of him. But he doesn't like women who don't know how to care of themselves. Simply put it, a natural beauty. Another thing is, he doesn't like women trying to catch his attention. Many have tried but failed. Mostly they are from Chuunin ranks.

A girl must be strong, smart and serious.

He didn't want to play the hero most of the time but if there will be a chance that the girl does needs him, he will come and save her. He finds it attracting if the girl is smart and serious in every thing she does. He likes women who's more of a business-like. But she doesn't have to be entirely intelligent, strong, serious and some sort. She's like a nerd if she was. Above all that,

A girl must be courageous and know how to accept defeat.

There's nothing more he could explain about that. Everything are present in those words.

He sighed.

As if he had met someone with all the qualities present in her...

...But...

...he did... met one...

He closed his eyes and let the win caressed his face and his hair floated in the air. He admitted that he had met 'her' years ago. Actually, she was part of the three-man team he's in to. She was his teammate. A very realiable person. A talented one, but she was still inferior. She lacked something but she was his everything.

'She was... my...'

He opened his eyes and tilted his head to the direction where he felt a familiar Chakra approaching.

...And he heard the poor boy panting.

"Sasuke," he changed his position by placing his elbows on his lap, "did your fan girls run after you?"

As the poor boy arrived at the bench where his older brother sat, his knees begun to wobble and was forced to plump down to the grass with a loud thud. He remained there for a few seconds and he was still struggling to grasp some air.

"Ani...Aniki..." He started, "it's not... about... the... fan...girls..."

That earned a raised eyebrow from his brother. Finally, Sasuke looked at his brother with great fear and weariness as if he needed help badly.

"Sakura's... sister... she..." He couldn't get to his point because the fact that he needed air is much more important.

However, it looks like the elder Uchiha had something in his head when the name Sakura emitted from his little brother's mouth. And he smirked in his own thoughts.

"Hmm... so my brother has reached puberty. He was trying to play nice to Sakura's family. Really, Sasuke... were you listening to what I said this morning?"

That words, that voice... it seems like it has venom that will surely hurt Sasuke when he does make a wrong reply.

But the younger Uchiha shot him a glare with his face totally reddened in humiliation.

"What!? What made you think I'm courting her!?"

Itachi relaxed himself once again as he ignored the glares that his little brother gave him. This time, he will make it clear to his brother that shinobi isn't something that he would put down for wooing a kunoichi. But first, he will make him a little more embarrassed.

"Sasuke, I heard you whispering her name during your slumber. When I woke you up, you seemed angry because I interrupted your dreams... Did she completely captivated your attention that you must put down the shinobi life for you to woo her?"

That hit several nerves and a more reddened face when he heard his older brother said those. In return he stood up firmly to defend his side.

"NO!! I never thought of putting down the shinobi life! I vowed that I will surpass you in everything that I can!! And..." He looked away as he continued, "I never thought of courting her... she's just my teammate."

Hearing all those words from his little brother makes him smile a little. Indeed, his brother never changed. He was still the younger Uchiha whose ambition was to surpass his older brother's power, strength and intellectuality. Itachi was really proud of his brother's childish remarks.

"Good." Now he stared at his brother as if taunting him more, "You have to explain to me what happened and why were you so desperately trying to escape from that direction."

Sasuke loves his brother so much. That's because his brother gave him all the attention and all the needs he wished to have. He's just so lucky that he had Itachi for a brother. The younger of the two decided to sit beside his brother and tell him everything he had experienced within the day.

"After the survival training we had this afternoon, both Naruto and I have to walk Sakura home." He saw his brother nodded, "When we get there, we saw her sister on the couch watching TV. By the way, brother, I never knew that Sakura's sister was so lazy. She's a Jounin and yet she prefer to stay in their house and watch TV. But Sakura always say that her sister was really great."

"Sasuke, just get to the point."

"Sorry. Well, after Sakura explained herself, her sister asked us to eat with them. It's like a celebration for our victory. But... when her sister gazed at me..."

"You've fallen in love to her and Sakura started beating you."

"NO! Definitely not! Though... she's a lot prettier than Sakura." With that he shook his head, trying to erase the violent woman's face. "When she gazed at me, I saw the fury in her eyes. To tell the truth, I haven't done anything wrong to her nor to Sakura. But she yelled at me using our lastname instead of my name. I bet she knew someone by the name of an Uchiha and she was really mad at that person."

It seems like Itachi got the explanation pretty well. But who was this person who are really mad at the Uchihas? He will find out this person and he will cleanse the name of their clan.

"Ne...Aniki. You're seventeen, right?"

"Huh? Yeah. What do you want to know?"

Sasuke was shy at first but he continued anyway, "How come you don't have a girlfriend?"

For the first time in the history, Sasuke caught Itachi off guard with this question and... he saw his brother blushed furiously.

"Ne.. Aniki... you're red."

"No, I'm not." The elder Uchiha denied.

-----------------------------------------

There were so many kunais and shurikens embedded on every empty wall opposite of the woman who had her outburst when she saw the person in her house. Even though Sakura told her that the boy never knew her or done something wrong, she couldn't take in all that details. She was really furious when she saw him, yes, even if he was similar to the person she really hated the most. The victory party was obviously canceled but it seems like the blond ninja was full and yet had the time to react when the fully loaded Jounin threw all her weapons to his teammate. He was terrified but with Sakura's reasoning, he had also calmed down.

"Oneechan! Why did you do that to Sasuke-kun?" Her younger sister had stopped her from completely destroying ther house. She was about to execute some hand seals to the young Uchiha when her own sister stood her ground between them. Her younger sister even told the Uchiha to escape so that the rage would fade away. "Oneechan!"

Her fury had calmed down. It should be or her full anger would be transferred to either her sister or to the other visitor who was still too shock to even get out of the house. She recomposed herself and had a deep sigh.

"I'm sorry I bursted out like that." Naruto turned pale when the elder Haruno looked to him, "don't worry Naruto-kun. You're out of this." She beamed a smile which was a little similar to Sakura. She was just assuring him that she will do no harm. Then she looked back to Sakura with an apologetic expression, "Please do tell him that I am very sorry that I bursted out like that."

And then she disappeared.

After a moment of silence, Sakura heard Naruto's sigh.

"Your sister is a lot scarier than anyone else..."

Sakura laughed in embarrassment.

-----------------------------------------

The next day, Team Seven was assigned to begin their mission from the starting level such that Naruto and Sasuke was too dismayed to start with. Kakashi had explained to them that in whatever kind of missions they will have, even the most easy task, it is part of their training for being a shinobi. Also, those missions will let them know the very importance of the life of being a shinobi.

Sakura had an idea about these things because of her sister. But then, she kept quiet and did what they have to do.

-----------------------------------------

Itachi was relieved when the Hokage arrived home safely. He was waiting outside the Hokage office for another mission, or maybe, reporting the current mission that he's taking. Sandaime ordered him to come with him inside the office and there they would privately talk about the things, especially the mission that Itachi had been holding for quite some time.

The moment the Sandaime and the Uchiha had entered the room, the new Jounin desperately wanted to see the Hokage to get another mission to get out of the boredom that happened yesterday. Unfortunately, one of the special Jounins that had been walking side by side with the Hokage, had stopped her for doing so.

"The Hokage had an important meeting with one of the special Jounins."

"When could I come back?"

"Later this afternoon."

"Ok. Thanks."

With that, the female newly appointed Jounin disappeared from a smoke.

-----------------------------------------

That very afternoon, Team Seven had accomplished three rank D missions that did not even require such stamina. It was already sunset when their Kakashi-sensei dismissed them on the very last location that their mission was held. Sasuke said that the Uchiha district was just near the place. Suddenly it occurred to him that he wanted to invite them both to their house, well, for his parents to meet his new friends.

And somehow... for his brother to meet the only girl that had been infiltrating his mind.

Right now, the members of Team Seven were walking towards the large place where only Uchihas lived. Naruto was just as amazed as Sakura was. As soon as they entered the said district the more they see Sasuke's family clan symbol painted on walls, indicating that they've been walking closer to the main place, rather, Sasuke's house.

Sasuke increased his pace when he saw the walls of their huge house. He looked back at them with an inviting smile and ran inside, followed by the curious Sakura and the clueless Naruto.

"Mom, I'm home!" Sasuke shout aloud while taking off his sandals and entered the house completely.

Naruto immediately slipped his feet out of his sandals and followed Sasuke as the young Uchiha entered the living room only to find it empty. Sakura remained calmed as she slowly slipped out her feet from her sandals. She was quietly observing the Uchiha mansion. She was amazed by the large place and the fresh breezy scent that lingered inside the house. They used to have a large house, but it was standing outside Konohagakure.

"Sasuke-kun! I'm here in the kitchen!" Sakura heard a female voice originating from within the house.

Soon, she heard a pair of feet running towards the origin of the voice. The young pink haired girl finally walked inside the house and saw both Naruto and Sasuke standing behind a certain woman with silky black hair.

It was Sasuke's mother.

"Mom, these are my new friends from Ninja Academy. This is Naruto," The boy grinned as his name uttered which made Sasuke's mom smiled back at him, "...and this is Sakura." The girl politely bowed while the other did the same.

Her mother stared at the blonde friend of her son. He knew him... very well. As the story had wildly spread in the entire village, who wouldn't know? But instead of avoiding him, she had felt his loneliness. A quick vision of his life flashed on her mind and noticed that she didn't have to push this boy away, instead, accept him and honor him. Then all of a sudden, she noticed the noticeable pink hair of her son's teammate.

"You might be a Haruno, ne?" Sasuke's mom asked, looking straight to the pink haired girl's lovely soft green eyes.

"How did you know Mom?" Sasuke asked, looking back and forth to both Sakura and to his mother.

"I've met her sister years ago and they really looked so much alike."

Recalling her sister was like recalling what happened yesterday at the Haruno residence.

"Uhm, Uchiha-san, how did you meet my sister? Does she come here often?" The young Haruno asked while taking a position beside the cooking Uchiha.

The lovely mother of Uchiha Sasuke just smiled back at her and resumed her cooking.

"Well, yes. That's because your sister and Itachi-kun were once teammates. By the way, what was the name of your sister again?"

"Her name's Kayako."

"Oh. Yes. Kayako it is. I often call her, Kaya-chan." Uchiha-san beamed a bright smile at her and then went to the table to get some ingredients. "Sasuke-kun, why don't you and your friends stay at the dinner table for a while? I'll prepare the dinner for you."

"Aa. Sure. Let's go guys..." Sasuke led the way to the dinner table just beside the kitchen.

Within the waiting minutes, the three kids were just babbling something about their latest mission. Well, both Naruto and Sasuke shared the same sentiments and to that they wish to have higher rank missions such that they'll be using their hidden skills. All Sakura and Uchiha-san did was to stifle a soft laugh.

"Okay now, that's enough." Uchiha-san declared as she put down the dish for the kids. "Don't wish too much or you may never want to have higher rank missions. You're too young to handle such situations and I know your Sensei knows that."

"But--"

"Sasuke-kun, just eat your dinner ok?" Her mother immediately replied, knowing her child, he would consistently tell her that he didn't want to be left behind, especially that his brother is growing stronger and stronger by the day.

"Umff... worw... Uchiha-shan... thish ish great!" Naruto commented as mouthful of rice and pork chewed in his mouth and yet he was capable of talking.

Sasuke's mother chuckled for a while and tilted her head to the entrance of the house, knowing that someone had just entered.

"That must be your brother." She said as she rose from her seat and approached her son.

"Hey, Sasuke." Naruto asked as he swallowed the food he had just chewed. "You said you want to beat your brother? How powerful is he anyway?"

The young Uchiha smirked at his teammate's ignorance for this matter and yet he answered it for him to give him an idea, "You know you should at least listen to what everybody is talking about almost everyday." He started confidently as he slowly put down the empty bowl and chopsticks, "My brother is a special Jounin. He works under the command of the Hokage. He only follows the orders of the Hokage, and no one else. He's also known as the Konoha's Uchiha prodigy as he earned the rank at such age."

"Wow. You're brother is an outstanding shinobi." Sakura commented, wide-eyes, just as she heard what Sasuke had been saying about his brother.

"Yeah. And to tell the truth, I really wanted to become like him." Sakura and Naruto noticed that changed of eyes of the young Uchiha. Before it was more of scrutinizing people or some sort, but now, it only signifies the flame of determination.

"I never expected you to say such things, Sasuke."

The kids' head spun to the origin of the voice. As Sasuke familiarized himself to that voice, his smirk turned into a smile. It was, obviously, his older brother who had gotten home after the whole day's work. Naruto was slightly familiriazing himself as he was trying hard to recall everyone that he had met in the past. As for the last member of Team Seven...

She was truly amazed by the handsome features of the older brother of her teammate. He was truly outstanding and his charms, aside from Sasuke and among the men she'd seen in the village, only the man standing before her did hit her heart. The inner Sakura almost lost all of her saliva in her mouth when she saw the older Uchiha. But both did blush at the sight before them.

Indeed, it was, obviously, none other than love at first sight.

However, as the older Uchiha entered the dining room at the house, a slightly terrible aura had emitted in his form.

Before that, he had smiled to his little brother, seeing that the little one had probably gone out training to strengthen himself for the sake of following the footsteps of his brother. Then he had noticed the blonde friend of his brother, whom, the tales had said, obtained the tremendous power of the Kyuubi. His clan had managed to agree to accept the Kyuubi boy not just because he's a monster, but the Fourth's legacy.

As for the only female friend of his little brother, who had one familiar thing that he had recalled from the past...

Soft pink hair...

Green eyes...

Creamy white skin...

And the symbol of her clan that never faded in from the years. It was still the white colored circle... simple yet attracting...

But... he actually felt a tinge of anger deep within him.

What the hell is she doing in the Uchiha's house?!

The next thing they seen, and thought that he will never do, was a great shock of a lifetime...

Uchiha Itachi's eyes widened in shock as he made a thorough recollection of the girl before her...

"YOU'VE GOT THE NERVE TO BRING YOUR FACE IN MY HOUSE HARUNO!!"

_(To be continued)_  
-----------------------------------------  
**(SDA)  
Author's Note:** Hi everyone! Sorry to keep you waiting. I almost got the writer's block so that's why I'm having slight problem on how will I keep this plot. In any case, I've done my part here in this chapter and I'm glad I've updated this. The last time I've updated this... well... it was two months ago? Hehehe, again I wanted to apologize minna! (bows head).

You're maybe thinking how come Itachi lost his cool when he saw Sakura. Hey, there are so many hints about it right? Same goes for Kayako who had an outburst when she saw Sasuke from the last chapter.

Uhm, as for Itachi's requirements for having a girlfriend... well, I was just in the mood to put it there! Don't ask. Hehehe. Some of the sentences above may have been mean or something, but Itachi had to be logical at times. But having a partner does not require to be logical, ne? (scratches head) Then why the hell did I put those things there!? Hehehe, I'm out of myself... I just woke up from an afternoon nap. Peace!

Oh for the advertisement... (hehehe... might as well include that in this A/N) Why don't you guys read **Crystal Ring** for this season? I've made it all just for you for this Christmas. In short, it's a Xmas gift! Hehehe. Thanks for riding with me and watch out for the next chapter! I don't know when will be the next update but for now... **Merry Christmas!**


	7. Scroll seven: What in Heaven's name was ...

**Behind the glares**

**What in Heaven's name was the reason!?**

The young, yet older, Uchiha had been hypervilating ever since he bursted out of his own mansion in the Uchiha district. He knew it was rude to say such things particularly to a girl, who were just as old as his little brother!

'This is humiliating!' He said angrily in his thoughts as though he felt so guilty and embarrassed.

He kicked the little stone on his path, not minding who would be so unfortunate as to receive that painful blow. He continued walking with his hands on his pockets, a very typical Uchiha heir style (that's because both him and Sasuke do the same thing while walking), and his eyes glaring angrily at the ground. Before he knew it, someone had thrown something towards his forehead. As expected from a ninja, he immediately catched it with precise movements and still his head lowered to the ground.

"Are you simply trying to piss me off or do you want to settle our argument once and for all?"

That feminine, venomous, horrid voice of a kunoichi. Only he knows what would happen if destiny really picked on him, especially with this encounter.

He didn't have to face the woman right in front of him just so he could insult her. So for the first step, he smirked.

"Hn. Were you blind? I was just kicking that pebblestone out of the way and it happened that you were standing there like an idiot." He stressed the last word, thinking that it would be a major blow to her pride.

"The problem with you, Uchiha," She stressed the lastname to criticize him more, "is that you weren't looking ahead. What if that stupid pebblestone hit someone who wasn't able to dodge it? Did you leave your consciousness in your house? Or were you simply acting like a bastard again?"

This time, he decided to look back to her eyes just so she could feel, see and hear what he would say to her. And hopefully, to his side, she would be affected.

"Do you know how to properly use such words? Just for example, the term bastard," He made an emphasis when he use the term bastard, his both fingers signaled a quotation mark. "It was only used to someone who was born without the proper marriage of his or her parents. And to those who don't even know their parents, particularly their dads. In my case, however, I was born after the marriage of my father and my mother, and I'm so sure, I know my dad. Get that? Oh before I forgot, I don't need to look ahead, I can move freely with my eyes close while walking at the streets of Konoha." He finished coolly and added an effect...

As an Uchiha, they were known from their smirks!

That earned a smoking ear coming from the girl in front of him.

"You..." 'asshole!' The dark pink haired girl made a fist and shaking it terribly at him as if asking for a bout. Then after a few moments... she smirked!

Which earned a questioning look coming from Uchiha Itachi.

"Let's see what you'll do after this..." She breathe in some air and put her hands on each side of her lips and after which... she shouted... "WOMEN OF KONOHA!! UCHIHA ITACHI IS HERE!!"

Oh the joy... and the priceless shocked look of the great Uchiha Itachi. (Say this with a sarcasm tone hehehe)

"Damn it!" Then he heard the rampaging footsteps that originated from every directions, he was surrounded! And without thinking twice, he has to escape! "I'll pay you back, Haruno!" And with that, he ran like there's no tomorrow...

...With the thousand women chasing after him.

The Haruno dark-pink haired girl just smirked and said, "I'll be waiting then, Uchiha."

-----------------------------------------

All they could hear was the succession of heavy breathings that came from a young girl. Naruto was frozen in his position, not minding the food that had been splattered all around the kitchen, including his face. Sasuke's mom was rooted on her position, with her own meal being splattered on her face, too. Take note, her eyes were tad wide. As for our dear (I have to mention that since most of you people are probably Sasuke's fans) Sasuke, he dropped his butt on the ground, elbows beside him as if supporting his torso and his eyes...

They were shaking in fear.

What the hell happened?

(You don't need to go back to the previous chapter.)

When they were having a decent conversation, Uchiha Itachi had entered the room and dropped a comment to his brother's continuous blabbering about him. After a few nanoseconds, however, his focused stayed glued on the pink haired girl sitting on the ground while eating dinner. She, too, was mezmerized by the sight before her. But what they didn't know was...

The look that he had been giving to the girl right in front of him was the look of deep anger.

And therefore, like what happened to the Haruno residence, Sasuke's brother bursted out like an errupting volcano. Seething in anger as he mentioned the last name of his comrade, he started whipping around his shurikens and kunais towards her and even, ALMOST, executed a Fire element ninjutsu!

Why did I say almost?

Because he was stopped when Sakura screamed in great fear. And Uchiha-san had stopped her son to do such thing right in front of the visitors. With that, they were finally relieved because the Uchiha who had an outburst, had fled God-knows-where.

Nevertheless, they were still frozen on the spot on where the former event happened.

"Dear Lord... what just happened?!" Naruto, who was the only person, had collected his whole being finally screamed just so he could wake up the remaining people in the house who were still suffering an initial shock.

Sasuke only blinked his eyes.

-----------------------------------------

The next day, Team Seven, with the exception of their Jounin-Sensei, of course (he's always late right?), arrived unexpectedly earlier than the time their Sensei told them. Uchiha Sasuke was the first one to arrive, followed by Uzumaki Naruto, who had been so damn quiet which was really awkward since he was known as the number one loud mouth ninja, and then there's Haruno Sakura, who had just arrived ten seconds ago.

"Ohayou Sakura-chan!!" Oh so he finally got back to his normal self when Sakura came.

Sakura just smiled back at him, though, she dodged the incoming hug-attack of the Kyuubi vessel. So, Naruto was seen lying with his stomach facing the ground, nursing his nose because it was the first part of his body that made contact to the bridge's ground.

"Good morning...Sasuke...kun..." She greeted, already fading the usual cheering voice.

The Uchiha decided to reply, "G-good morning, Sakura." That repeated syllable... Hmm... something's not right.

After the greetings they gave to each other there was only silence.

Silence...

Silence...

Yes, again silence...

(You're pissed off already? Hehehe)

And finally, after two minutes of silence, the number 1 loudest ninja decided to break the deafening silence thinking that he might have gone crazy with these people around him.

"OI! Just what the hell was wrong with your siblings huh?! Why were they so angry to you guys?!" He shouted, grabbing his head in confusion. He had enough of the events that occurred from the day they went to Sakura's house to yesterday when they went to Sasuke's house.

Sakura who was sitting on the bridge just reached for her right temple and massaged it slightly. She admitted that she already had an headache due to these events. Her sister didn't even speak to her lately and she almost died yesterday.

Sasuke just heaved a sigh and resumed resting his back on the bridge railing. He didn't know why the hell his brother bursted out like that but before that happened, he was too excited to introduce Sakura to him. He knew his brother knew something about the 'admiration' situation, even though he had denied that feelings for her a number of times now.

"Moron. How should we know?" Sasuke irritably replied while looking up in the sky.

Then something had finally struck Sakura's realization. But she could be wrong... though... she had to try, too...

"Did you guys remember what Uchiha-san told us last night?" She glanced at Naruto and then to Sasuke. Reading their confused looks, she decided to continue, "You know the part when I asked her why she knows my sister?"

Thank God, Sasuke was able to recall that, "Ah that one. Mom also said that my brother and your sister were once teammates." Bull's eye! "So they weren't angry to us at all... it was between my brother and your sister."

And Naruto decided to butt in, "But if they were teammates long ago, why were they so furious to each other? Teammates are your friends, not enemies."

Sakura scowled at Naruto's reply, "As if you and Sasuke-kun didn't have rivalry..."

That earned an eyebrow twitching from both Naruto and Sasuke. Then they looked to each other with sparkling electricity emitted from their eyes. Sasuke and Naruto simultaneously turned their heads just so they could stop looking at each other.

"Did you have any recollection from your sister's story, the Genin days to be exact?" Sasuke asked shifting his position on the railing.

Sakura put her right index finger below her lower lip and decided to recall.

"Nope." Then she looked to Sasuke, "What about your brother?"

Sasuke just shook his head.

"Hmmm..." Naruto sat crossed leg on the ground with his hands crossed, too, over his chest. "So they didn't want to tell you guys what happened back then huh..."

Sasuke and Sakura turned their heads to their teammate, waiting patiently if that moron ever had a nice idea to think about.

After a few seconds later...

"Why don't you guys ask them what happened?"

Sasuke and Sakura fell comically.

"Are you nuts?! My sister would simply throw me out of the house if I did!" She pointed accusingly at Naruto.

Then came Sasuke's retort, "You moron! I don't want to die yet!"

Naruto just scratched his head. Thank God he doesn't have violent older siblings...

"Eh? Then how are we going to solve this case?"

Sakura arched an eyebrow, "What do you mean solve this case? I don't want to pry my nose in their lives or to be exact the reason why they ended up that way."

Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest and nodded, "It's not my nature to pry on someone's life like you do."

Naruto glared at Sasuke though soon after recomposed himself to think of a better reason to stop this rivalry between Sakura's sister and Sasuke's brother.

"But if this keeps on like this..." He looked to Sakura and Sasuke, "I wonder what will happen if they ended up in the same mission, in one platoon. Don't you think it's...uhhmm... scary?"

Then came Sasuke's smirk. "My brother won't act as a child just so he could kill Sakura's sister."

"But Sasuke-kun he almost killed me."

Unconsciously, Sasuke swallowed hard.

'She's right.'

Then came the awkward MOMENT of silence...

(Guys, you can hear the crickets' sounds and birds chirping in the background.)

Only one person, that we all know, who didn't like this silence...

And with that my friends, he roared using his loudest mouth ever.

"I DON'T UNDERSTAND THEM!!!"

"Naruto! Will you stop that!"

"He would never shut up..." The young Uchiha prodigy just glanced at his teammate and muttered, "Moron."

Surprisingly though, their Jounin-Sensei arrived on time!

"Yo!"

They all just gave him a surprise look.

"What? Did I miss anything?" The white-haired Jounin innocently asked.

-----------------------------------------

That afternoon, like every afternoons had passed by, Uchiha Sasuke allowed himself to accompany his female teammate to her home. He trusted his instincts so well that he wouldn't let those persistent suitors to trouble his, err, not yet, Sakura. Naruto who wasn't around just like before, told them that their former Chuunin teacher, Umino Iruka, had invited him to eat ramen at the usual ramen stand - Ichiraku.

So, it's just the two of them walking side by side, relishing every seconds of being together. Let's not forget that Sasuke denied his feelings multiple times to his brother and so, whatever they were relishing as of this moment where just hidden inside them.

Out of the blue or just to start a topic, Sakura spoke.

"I think Naruto's right."

Sasuke looked at her by the corner of his eyes.

"We have to find a way to stop their rivalry or so we call it." She wasn't even stopping when she said that.

But Sasuke did stop to which Sakura followed his suit, looking at his face with an obvious inquiring look.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Maybe... he's right. But..." He decided not to look back to her eyes as he averted his gaze, finding the tree a little interesting, "how are we suppose to start?"

Sakura just smiled at him. 'So Sasuke-kun was also concerned.' "Why don't we get the information from any sources? There are a lot of ways to get the source right? Like witnesses. We don't have to directly ask them what happened, right?"

With this conversation started, seems like the dear Uchiha was comfortable to look back to her.

"Hmmm... I could ask my mom for that. What about you? You certainly don't know where to start, right?" The girl nodded shyly. "I guess it's up to you as to whom you're going to ask."

"I guess so. But I think I have to rummage her records, that way I can access to anyone she had worked with." Then she smiled at him. "Do you think it's a good idea?"

The boy shrugged, "That would be good. Just be careful. I think your sister is a lot violent if someone messed up with her things, just like my brother."

"Eh? What will your brother do to you if you tried to do that?" The innocent tone is so eminent.

"He'll burn my things. Everything." He emphasized the last word. Sasuke shivered with this thought.

"Ah...hehehe... that would be possible. Ne? Hehehe." The laughter that came out from her soft lips were mere nervous and anxiety.

They both sighed.

"I don't really get it." It was the Uchiha's turn to start off the topic.

"Well, I think... something had happened during their Genin days or maybe as they go to Chuunin ranks and then... well some sort of rivalry... though I think it would be too lame..."

The young Uchiha nodded and proceeded to walk with Sakura by his side.

For a couple of minutes, they arrived at her residence.

-----------------------------------------

Thank God Sakura's sister wasn't home yet.

After reading the note that her sister left in the dinner table, Sakura couldn't help but to smile.

Luck was just on her side!

'Now where is that yearbook...'

To start this mini-mission which composed of her, Sasuke and Naruto, they must find sources. After doing so, they will gather the facts and compile them. It wouldn't or might would take such time to make out a plan and do it... though hopefully it would turn out good.

With them alive and whole.

'There it is!!'

Sakura excitedly took out a scroll with a note which says 'Ninja Academy'.

-----------------------------------------

Sasuke apparently arrived at their house. He searched inside if ever Itachi was already home, and with the same luck that Sakura has, Itachi wasn't home yet.

Excitedly, he ran towards the kitchen hoping to see his mom making the family dinner.

"Welcome home, Sasuke-kun." His mom said when she turned around and signaled him to kiss her to her cheek.

And Sasuke did.

After doing so, he dragged himself on the low dinner table and sat crossed-leg. He was given a hot tea by his mom and muttered a 'thank you'.

"Mom, can I... ask you something?" He asked, occassionaly glancing to his mother but later stayed glued on the hot tea.

"What is it Sasuke-kun?"

"Uhh..." 'Damn, just spit it out Sasuke.' He nervously lick his lower lip that was already dry and then sighed. "Do you still remember aniki's Genin days? I meant, the part where he's coming home with Kayako?"

Uchiha-san noticed the anxiety in her son's voice. She only arched an eyebrow to him after she stopped chopping some veggies.

"Why are you suddenly concerned to his past?" She asked innocently.

"You saw what happened yesterday, mom. Aniki was furious to Sakura. Though it wasn't really directed to Sakura but because she resembled her sister. In that sense, aniki was furious to Haruno Kayako." Sasuke found out a simple explanation just to please his mom to give him the full information.

"Oh... I noticed that. Hmm, let me think." She placed the knife on the cutting board, rest her back near the edge of the sink and then placed her finger below her lower lip. So much alike Sakura's habit of thinking. "After the elimination during the Chuunin exams, Itachi-kun's face resembled a man who had just lost his luck in a gambling game. He refused eating, too, and he stayed almost the whole day in his room. When I peeked inside his room, he was just in his bed, lying and staring blankly at the ceiling. And then few days later, I keep on asking about Kaya-chan. He said she will never be able to set her feet in the house. And after some time, he would muttered some curses when I always mention her name."

'Bingo. Something happened during the Chuunin exams, just like what Sakura guessed.'

Excitedly, Sasuke stood up from his position and was about to go to the nearest phone when Uchiha-san stopped him.

"Why are you so interested, dear?"

The boy grinned, "Because that's interesting."

_(To be continued)_  
-------------------------  
**(SDA)**  
**Author's Note:** Hey!! Sorry for the long wait. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. Although there's not much of a humor. If you want to, share me some ideas to make this funnier. Heheh. And did you notice the constant parentheses? I thought it would make the story funnier if I insert my thoughts (what I meant is, the way I give opinion or leave comment in some lines). And that would also function as an ice breaker (you know what that means right? I don't have to explain it..hehehe). And my sister is insanely looking for her cellphone. Muttering such words like "I will not sell you anymore just show up!" Bwahahah!!

Ahem. I stated the obvious for the next chapter, unless there would be side-events! What obvious am I saying? Team Seven will have their own mission to solve the case! Now, I'm (ahem) begging for some funny suggestion! Give me ideas to how they will make out a plan and how the two (the older siblings) would fall for it! I'm so excited! But you see, my brain had stopped sending ideas because I can feel the writer's block already coming up in my nerves. Mendo kuse... (how troublesome)

I'm so different in this story, am I? I'm not serious! Dang! And all along I've been so serious in SS!! Haha, well that's how crazy I am. Oh to give you some trivia, I remember our instructor in photography said: "those people who has the craziest ideas are the ones more qualified since it will attract more people." He's talking about the world in advertising. heheh.

Might as well plug in some of my fics here!! Someone Screaming - is reaching the climax! Don't worry my beloved reviewers, I'm working with this. Where should I go? - I'm halfway for the next chapter. Crystal Ring - even after Christmas, its worth of your time to read! Because it happened before New Year! And this, well, I beg for your PATIENCE for the next installment! Peace out!

_(Ayane keeps on looking for her tea... "Where is it... where is it?!" Then she saw Itachi sipping a certain FAMILIAR mug. "HEY! Who told you to drink my tea!!" Itachi didn't even flinch and even drank all the tea in the mug, to annoy Ayane. "NOOO!!!! MY TEA!!!")_


	8. Scroll eight: Unwilling to reminisce

**Behind the glares**

**Unwilling to reminisce**

The morning routine was just as annoying as his little brother asking him to teach him a new jutsu.

And right at this moment, he was sleeping comfortably on his large bed, eyes closed though already awake an hour ago. Fortunately, his devil little brother had gone out of the house and maybe do all the techniques by himself. Later, he was seen at the dinner table, eating breakfast. The frown on his face didn't go unnoticed by his mom. But his mom felt a tinge of joy when she recalled what Sasuke-kun told her.

"Ne, Itachi-kun..."

"Huh?" Itachi lazily looked at his mom while dropping the chopsticks on top of the small bowl.

"I want to ask you something." She turned around to face her son.

"About what?" He lazily answered and set aside the utensils. He let his right elbow settled on the low table to support his right face.

"About the other day's incident."

"That? Mom, I told you it was pure instinct and I came to their training yesterday to apologize what happened." 'And then Kakashi started teasing me, too. The perv...'

"No, it's not that." His mother left him curious when she turned around and started chopping vegetables.

"Then what?"

"I didn't get the chance to ask you... why were you angry at Kaya-chan."

Itachi's eyes grew wide by the second then the sudden anger rose freely even if her name was said. But to show how matured he was, he sighed heavily and sipped his tea.

"She hated me first."

Uchiha-san continued chopping the vegetables, then gathered the pieces together to the boiling pot. She resumed the interrogation.

"What happened?"

If his mother could only see the pained eyes of her son, she would be so sorry and maybe had a hint of what has happened. But then again, she was busy doing their lunch.

In Itachi's case however, he wished to get out of the house to evade this question. He didn't want to recall what happened back then. Deep inside him, it was really painful... it hurt his pride as well.

"I'm going for a walk."

In a matter of seconds just when his mom turned to him, he was gone.

'Itachi-kun...'

* * *

On the field of flowers near the Ninja Academy, Sakura outstand all the flowers while she was touching a petal of cosmos. Last two nights ago, she had read everything about her sister's record but she only got few details such as: Itachi was a year older than her sister, they have another male teammate who didn't make it to the exam, their Sensei died during war, and... 

'Neechan didn't make it to the exams.'

In that sense, in their team, only Uchiha Itachi made it to become a Chuunin at age 8. She lifted her right hand to her lips, only to bit her index finger.

'And after the exams, my sister stayed in the hospital, refusing any visitors.'

She narrowed her eyes.

'So... something happened during the Chuunin eliminations...'

When she was about to stand up from the field, she noticed a familiar Chakra roaming around the area. After observing a little more longer, she finally recognized who owned the Chakra.

"Hey, Sasuke-kun, why do you have to hide back there?"

Said person jerked behind the large tree, at the same time, his cheeks grew red.

"Come out and join me here!"

Shyly, he peeked out behind the tree and watched Sakura waving back at him with a wide smile.

"Uh...okay."

He was little nervous while he was walking towards her and she was just waiting for him to come. Upon arrival, he sat besider her, though not at close proximity, but the distance wasn't that far either.

"So..." He begun, still nervous at the fact they were the only ones in the field. "What are you doing in here?"

Sakura continued touching the soft petal of cosmos when she answered, "Doing some thinking."

"Thinking about what?"

"Mmm... about my sister and your brother." Then she looked at him, "Have you gathered some information yet?"

"I asked mom something... luckily she wanted to help out as well. So she'll do the interrogating." Then he put his hands on the grass to relax a bit, "She also told me that my father was present during the exam so I guess I have to ask father what happened if Niisan didn't give us any answer."

"I guess that would be great... considering I don't know anyone who could help me."

"Aa."

Then there's a moment of silence which grew uncomfortable deep inside Sasuke's heart. Even though he had been the person who always looked after her after their training and grew familiar with their silence, the silence in this situation was uncomfortable yet pleasant.

He didn't know why he was feeling uncomfortable around her...

"Sakura--"

"Yeah?" She looked at him with beaming smile plastered on her face.

He was cut off immediately and sat frozen staring at her. He forgot what he has to tell for he was stunned at her sun kissed morning beauty. And for some reason, he could feel his cheeks grew warmer and maybe redder by second.

"Ne, Sasuke-kun..." She grew worried and leaned to his forehed with hers.

Sasuke just gasped at her aggressiveness and looked at their touched foreheads. The young Uchiha blinked several times.

"You're strangely hot, are you okay?" She asked, her lips almost touching his.

He didn't know what to answer so he slowly shook his head, careful not to let her fall in front of him.

"Really? Hmm..." Finally she withdrew from him yet Sasuke could feel his hard and wide forehead's touch from his forehead.

He lifted his hand only to touch the spot where she felt his forehead.

"Maybe you tired out yourself during your training ne? You sure are taking it too seriously."

Again, Sasuke didn't know how to react or to prolong such topic to which he resort to answering, "Aa."

(Surely, this boy lacks vocabulary no?)

"I wonder what Naruto is doing by now... training maybe? Just like what you did."

"Why aren't you training?" He suddenly asked as he was avoiding glancing to her.

"I'm still dependent to what Kakashi-sensei is telling me to improve. I can't ask my sister anything because she's always out. But if once she agreed to train me, I'm sure it would be a sparring session."

Somehow, Sasuke looked at her thinking that they don't have much difference at all, well when it comes to their siblings. Both of their older siblings were distant.

"She's like my brother." Sasuke looked up on the sky, watched how the clouds moved slowly like turtles in the sky. "Whenever I ask my brother to teach me something, he'll just poke my forehead and apologize. He always say that he got some important matters at hand." He sighed. "I do understand him and I guess he didn't like the idea that he was teaching me how to surpass him."

"Mm." Sakura nodded at the same time she laid her back on the grass and looked at the sky. "If you wish to surpass him, you do it on your own. That way, you'll know your own weakness and strength. But I still think it's better to have someone supervising as you train."

"Aa."

Then something struck in her head as she sat up hastily and beamed Sasuke her brightest smile.

"Say, why don't we train each other?"

Sasuke could only blink at her suggestion.

* * *

Haruno Kayako sat quietly on the swing in front of the Ninja Academy. She didn't push her feet on the ground rather stayed still and drowned herself into deep thinking. 

'Why must everything come to this time after all the years of avoiding each other?'

She sighed.

She has no idea of what was truly happening but the moment she saw his little brother and the moment she saw him, she felt as if her world erupted like a volcano. Even if they argue at small things they act like kids.

She smiled at that antic but her smile faded when she recalled the event that she didn't want to recall ever again.

There was a flashback scene of where she was thrown backwards, bloody and heavily injured.

Then came another flashback of a shadow that loomed over her body.

Then there was a verbal argument.

...and his cold, silent voice.

"It's finished."

Painfully, she shut her eyes and lowered her head.

'If you...didn't... if you didn't...tsk...'

Her hands clasped together in her lap while trying to ease the memories away.

Unknown to her, another presence was spying her. Stoic expression never faded but the look on his eyes determined how he pitied her.

_(To be continued)_  
-----------------------------------------  
**(SDA) **

**Author's Note: **Err... sorry for the very LONG (Counted the number of months that I didn't update this chapter) wait (and finally bowed in embarrassment). I've been having an author's block here if not for the people who reviewed her and gave me a push to update this one. I'm happy, really happy people! Also, thank goodness I'm listening to Utada Hikaru and BoA while doing this one, I'm so inspired. Anyway, if you want serious storyline, or tragedy maybe, read Someone Screaming. I'm on to the verge of thinking if I really have to end it right there or start off with another book! Heh... Anyway, hope you liked this chapter... and yes it has an evident SasuSaku/SakuSasu fluffiness. hehehe, our dear boy is shy...no?


	9. Scroll nine: Naruto's Idea

**Behind the glares **

**

* * *

**

_Italic** – **_Thoughts

**_Italic & Bold_ – **Inner Sakura

(Words) –Author's remark

**

* * *

Naruto's Idea **

The day began in a bright and hot day in Konoha. Not to mention the blazing-like inferno in the streets. But there were times that the wind would come and whip out the heat of the sunlight. Everybody was busy doing God-knows-what during the day. Now if everybody was busy, so as our ninja.

…Uzumaki Naruto…

…Who was so busy (insert giggling and chuckling here) painting something…

Actually, it's not really something.

And it's not actually painting.

Because he's messing up with the monument again!

He jumped from one corner and then painted the 1st Hokage's right cheek with green pigment and then under his eyes were three thick vertical lines (imagine Lee's eyes on this one). Then he laughed and jumped to the 3rd Hokage and continuously painting his face.

(Naruto you are so dead!)

* * *

From the Uchiha district was a very calm younger son of the head of the Uchiha clan. After the breakfast he pleaded his older brother to come with him and buy sets of shuriken for his training. 

"No." Itachi sternly replied and was about to go to his room when Sasuke tried once again.

"Niisan, come on! I'll buy you, too if you want."

Itachi glanced to his side only to glare at the kid brother, "I never taught you to bribe me, Sasuke."

Sasuke pouted and their mother overheard their conversation, too. She looked at Sasuke with a smile on her face. When she looked to the eldest son, she called out.

"Come on now Itachi-kun. Sasuke-kun isn't pestering you now, right?"

From behind, Sasuke grinned widely to his mom and made a face to his brother.

"What a pest…"

* * *

From the other side of Konoha were two young beautiful ladies coming out of their apartment. The younger on with brighter shades of roseate hair was beaming a bright smile to the elder one whose hair was darker and longer. 

"Why didn't you tell me that we don't have anything in the cupboard neither in the fridge?" Kayako asked while she locked the door of their apartment and was looking down at her younger sister.

Sakura scratched the back of her head and stuck out her tongue, "I haven't checked them lately…"

Kayako just stared at her sister and jumped towards the direction of the market.

As Sakura was left behind, she looked up on the sky and grinned.

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke and Uchiha Itachi arrived at the market where the weapon dealers were selling any kinds of weapons. They're all in Konoha but some of the merchants came from other countries to endorse new types of weapons. 

Itachi was trailing behind his brother. And Sasuke, well he's acting strangely… childlike? (Oh my god! Childlike?)

"Ne niisan, is this one good?" Sasuke took one of the kunai and shoved it towards Itachi's face who didn't even flinched at the nearness of its tip to his face.

Itachi just stared at the weapon, "Too heavy for you."

"Aa." Sasuke spotted another kunai. "Then what about this?"

Again, Sasuke shoved the tool towards Itachi's face with same proximity.

"Too short."

"Aa." And again… the choice continues…

_Why am I here again? _Itachi thought as he trailed his brother walking towards another store with lots of sets of weapons.

* * *

The beautiful Harunos (okay why didn't I put handsome Uchihas on the first part? Damn it...) were already in the market. The younger one had three plastic bags with her while the older had five. Hmm… they were really shopping for two-week food supply. 

"Neechan," The younger one tugged the elder's shirt.

"What?" The look in her eye tells Sakura that she has to be more careful.

"Ano... can you buy me those strawberries over there?" Sakura pointed the basketful of strawberries piled at one store.

When the elder one looked back on her sister, she noticed Sakura's begging eyes beginning to water.

"Okay fine… get one basket."

"Arigatou neechan!" And Sakura ran towards the fruit store.

_I remembered the time mom was pregnant… she dug herself into a basketful of it…_

And she sighed following her little sister.

* * *

After some time later, the young male, handsome (yeah there!), Uchihas had gone out of the market with the younger one of them grinning happily. 

Why?

Because after settling all the weapons of his choice, more likely of Itachi's approved weapons, he had chosen four sets of kunais, five sets of shurikens and two packs of exploding tags. When they were in the counter, Sasuke couldn't believe (or was it intentional?) that his money wasn't enough to purchase everything. Itachi suggested that he leave the rest but Sasuke argued.

In the end, Itachi gave up by lending him his money.

While walking back to the direction of their home…

"You better not waste those weapons or else I'll kill you using it." He sternly answered as he walked ahead of his brother.

"Hai!" He didn't know if Sasuke was hiding something or not but it seems like an insult to him when the younger one answered him gladly.

Annoyed he looked elsewhere except his brother. It seems really hot outside yet stores were still open for business. Even without looking at them, he knew that these people knew him already. Some of them waved at them and some would simply call out their names greeting them.

Sighing he noticed his little brother walking strangely slow. He raised a brow to his little brother and gave him a gentle smack at the head.

Sasuke immediately turned around, pouting and glaring.

"What was that for!"

Itachi just stared at his brother and then it was as if he saw a blur from afar. Looking up, his eyes widened in surprise.

_What the hell is he doing!_

* * *

The young pink haired kunoichi stretched out her weary arms. She placed the grocery bags on the ground and asked her sister to wait up. Those bags were too heavy and too troublesome to carry. 

"Get them already, I wanna go home." The older one whined while she waited her young sister to collect the baggage.

Sakura pouted while grabbing the bags.

_Her patience wears off easily…_

The older one started walking leaving the young one behind.

"Neechan wait up!"

Sakura panicked and ran after her sister. As they trudge their way back to their home, Kayako, the elder of the two, eyed almost everybody that they met in the road. Sakura was doing the opposite thing for she was bowing politely after being greeted by some of her friends.

_She acts so much like Sasuke-kun and Itachi-san… _Sakura thought while making a face behind her sister.

Bored at her antics she slowly looked above to check the weather.

_I hope to have a mission… I'm getting really frustrated at home doing nothing but clean and cook!_

She squinted as some rays of sunlight penetrated her sight. Avoiding the strong sunlight, she tilted her head towards the Hokage Monument…

Her eyes widened in horror.

_What the hell is wrong with that punk!_

* * *

Before Itachi flew off from his original position, he told Sasuke to head back home. 

What he didn't know was…

The little devil was grinning evilly behind him.

* * *

On the other street, Kayako placed all the baggage on the ground and asked her sister to bring it all back to their apartment. When she left towards the Hokage Monument… 

The little Kayako-look-a-like was smiling evilly behind her…

Sakura adjusted the wireless communicator in her ear and look above to where Naruto was.

"Target heading towards the Monument." She whispered, watching her sister jumped from one roof to another.

Then seconds later, she heard a young boy's voice from the other line, "Target heading towards Monument… Initiate Plan B." He ordered.

"Hai." She answered.

"WAAAAH they're here!" Shouted the giddy teammate from the transmitter.

* * *

Itachi was rushing towards the kid and to the chaos he created. But at the corner of his eyes, he saw what he didn't want to see right now. 

He forced himself to stop.

And the person did stop, too.

(Oooohhh this is war!)

"Okay, get it. Get the boy and represent yourself in front of the Hokage—" Itachi abruptly cut off when the woman in front of him glared and dared to retort.

"—As if I'd **do** any thing you say, bastard."

Itachi just glared back and completely ignored Naruto. The kid watched them close by with an utmost anxiety expression written in his face.

Kayako challenged Itachi, "What? Upset that you're outdone by a woman?"

Itachi sighed and recomposed himself, "I'm being a gentleman not to berate a wickedly loud woman who wasn't even paying attention at the position she's into."

It was Kayako's time to glare murderously at him. "HAH! Gentleman my ass!"

* * *

The blonde kid at the monument stared amused at his friends' elder siblings. 

Sakura didn't have a nice view from below so she spoke in the transmitter, "Oi Naruto, what's going on?"

From the other street, Sasuke already cursed something under his breath.

"Shit…"

* * *

"You should know by now that you, Uchiha Itachi, does not have any authorization to just spit out whatever comes out of that thick skull of yours!" Kayako almost shrieked at the top of her lungs. 

Itachi glared her more, "I do have that authorization and it's none of your business to find out what it is." He sneered.

"HAH! You're saying that because you can't prove anything to me! You keep on acting like a leader you dumb ass!" Now she really had screamed at the top of her lungs.

"I'm not a dumb ass you smarty pest! I know everything than you do!" Itachi yelled! (Oh my! My baby is yelling!)

"Oh no you don't! You don't know what it feels like to be **mortified** right in front of many people!"

Itachi was already gripping his fists beside him but continued berating with her (and he said he didn't want to berate her…), "You're bringing up that incident again! Why can't you just forget it!"

Now, now people… Itachi was really, well I really mean… REALLY angry…

"How could I forget it! You're the **one** who humiliated me! You are so selfish!"

"No, I'm not! You are!"

"I hate you! I really hate you!" Then Kayako started throwing her own shurikens directly to Itachi.

(WOOHOO! War!)

Itachi effortlessly evaded them and shot the famous Uchiha-Itachi-Mega-Blasting-Glare.

"I'm not resorting for a fight, Haruno."

Kayako, on the other hand, shot him the famous Haruno-Kayako-Mystifying-Freezing-Glare.

"Yes you're not, but I do."

And she fanned out her arsenal of kunais.

Panicked, Naruto shouted.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAH! They're killing each other!"

* * *

Sasuke and Sakura immediately dashed towards the position of their targets, err, their siblings. But they didn't make in within the range because… 

Well…

How could I say this…?

They were practically killing each other, except using Ninjutsus and Genjutsus, that is.

The younger siblings stared in awe as they watched their elder siblings clawing at each other.

(Ooo cats!)

(Imagine Uchiha Itachi with kitty ears and whiskers and tails, clawing another pink human slash cat!)

_Neechan…_

_Niisan…_

Then before a bloody war starts, a large puff sound of smoke was heard everywhere.

This made the three youngsters jerked awake and saw a group of Jounins trying hard to hold down Haruno Kayako from clawing Uchiha Itachi who in turn, actually, would most likely, use his Mangekyou Sharingan… (ooo creepy!)

One of the Jounin spoke up, "Both of you will be sent to the Hokage Tower."

And with one strong puff of smoke again, all the Jounins vanished.

Leaving the three youngsters stared in belief.

_(To be continued)_

**

* * *

SDA **

**Author's Note:** Well I'm here again to apologize from updating late. But hey don't think I wasn't even thinking for thinking the next plot of this chapter! Actually it made me sick already, yes I'm sick now and I have to rest, drink lots of juice and the like. I'm so happy that this story reached 50 reviews! I thought this won't be read by many. Aww dear. And who hit the 50th review? It's…… Icygal237! Thank you for that reviews dear. And as for the next chapter… well I don't have the next chapter but I already know what to do. So cheer up! Read and Review! You're making me happy!

Well I'm here again to apologize from updating late. But hey don't think I wasn't even thinking for thinking the next plot of this chapter! Actually it made me sick already, yes I'm sick now and I have to rest, drink lots of juice and the like. I'm so happy that this story reached ! I thought this won't be read by many. Aww dear. And who hit the 50th review? It's…… Thank you for that reviews dear. And as for the next chapter… well I don't have the next chapter but I already know what to do. So cheer up! Read and Review! You're making me happy! 

**Someone Screaming** is completed! It's a tragedy so don't go assuming a happy ending. Anyway I've prepared the first chapter of its alternate story, yes **STORY** **not** alternate **ENDING**. It's a SasuSakuSasu whatever pairings who want. But anyway I hope you enjoy reading! I love you people! MWAH!


	10. Scroll ten: Calm before the storm!

**Behind the Glares**

_Ayane Selznick_

**Calm before the storm! Sasuke and Sakura's idea!**

They stared disbelievingly.

_What has happened to my brother? _Sasuke would ask to himself while he gulped nervously.

_Is…is that my sister? _Sakura would ask while sweating nervously.

And as for the lonely child…

"I don't think this one worked for one bit."

The young Uchiha and the young Haruno snapped back from their trance as they both looked at their teammate.

"How come they don't like to have a decent conversation? Why do they want to kill each other anytime, anywhere?"

Sakura sighed, defeated. She couldn't understand her sister… sometimes.

"I don't know Naruto. That's why we're searching reasons why they hated each other so much."

Sasuke walked closer to them and said, "Actually they gave us a hint. My brother humiliated your sister. That's it."

Both Naruto and Sakura raised a brow out of Sasuke's observation. So what if his brother humiliated her sister? What did really happen? Which one of them was wrong?

But before they even find another way of getting through the issue…

"AHEM."

All three of them looked behind them only to see a very **pissed** Iruka staring at them.

(You three are sooooooooooooo dead! Hide kids!)

The thing is, Naruto kept his very cheerful grin and even said…

"Hi Iruka-sensei! Let's go to Ichiraku!"

That gave a nerve popping to which Sasuke and Sakura easily saw from Iruka's right temple. They both sweat dropped. Knowing their previous teacher back in Ninja Academy…

Iruka lacks **PATIENCE**.

And when he lacks patience, Naruto should be **out** of the picture.

Because… It will be the end of the world!

"NO WE'RE NOT GOING TO ICHIRAKU! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING MESSING THE MONUMENT AGAIN!" Iruka-sensei screeched at the top of his lungs that almost the entire Konoha tremble from its echo.

The trio covered their ears in time otherwise their eardrums would have shattered long ago.

(Want some fluffy ear plugs kids?)

Iruka accusingly pointed the children of Team 7 and added, "Since you three planned everything… you will CLEAN UP THIS MESS!"

"AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Naruto and Sakura screamed while Sasuke smack his forehead knowing the outcome of the moron's plan.

_We are so dead._ He added in his thoughts.

-----------------------------------------

Inside the Hokage tower where the duo was standing face to face with the Hokage…

"You both know that it's not decent to show violence in public. It causes commotion." The Hokage puffed out smoke that came from his cigar.

"Forgive me." They said in unison but glared each other from the corner of their eyes.

The Sandaime noticed this and massaged his forehead for a while. He sighed a little later and looked at them.

"The mistakes happened in the past should be corrected in the present and in the future. You are old enough to understand that."

They both bowed politely but never said a word. Sandaime continued.

"Shinobis and Kunoichis are like brothers and sisters in this village even at war in the battlefield. How can't you show it to one another?"

Itachi raised his head to have an eye level to the Hokage but never spoke. He glanced shortly at the female ninja beside him. She hasn't raised her head as she kept her gaze on the floor.

"Unless you two are not in good terms, you will be restricted to do S and A classes of mission."

That made Kayako raised her head and stared shockingly to the Hokage.

"You can't do this to me, Hokage-sama."

Itachi twitched a brow but said nothing.

"Consider this a punishment. You should know how to discipline yourselves." The Hokage sat up from his chair and dismissed them, "I'm hoping to see you guys in good terms from this day forward. Dismissed."

-----------------------------------------

While cleaning the mess at the Hokage monument…

Sakura throw a bucket of water at the forehead of the Third Hokage and started scrubbing the paint away with the use of a scrubber.

Sasuke was hanging upside down at the nose of the Fourth Hokage while he was splashing water on the paint and started rubbing it as well.

Naruto was scrubbing the huge cheek of the Fourth Hokage. He would be glancing towards Sasuke and Sakura knowing that those two were probably thinking of another plan.

Or maybe not…

"Hey, what are we going to do next?" The blond blurted out once he finished cleaning the huge mess from the cheek.

Sasuke twisted only to land at the tip of the nose of the Fourth Hokage while staring lazily at Naruto.

"What do you mean what do to next?" He said.

Sakura wiped the trickling sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand and stared at Naruto.

"Don't you want them to be good comrades? So—" Naruto was cut off by Sakura.

"—you want to think of another plan to make them talk?" She finished and sighed exasperatedly.

Naruto nodded weakly at the sight before him. Sasuke was probably tired of scrubbing the large mess under the nose of the Hokage. Sakura was also tired but she has to bring all their groceries to their apartment after this. That would be double exhaustion.

"You don't want to give up now right? We have a clue already but we have to know why and then let them settle their argument." He added, trying to convince the two.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes to Naruto. It seems like their blond teammate was trying to persuade them to continue this prying-in-their-siblings-thing.

"…We're not going to do **any** of your plans, dobe. It's better that you don't think about it."

(Bulls eye Sasuke! Ting ting ting! You hit the right button!)

And there goes smokes coming out of Naruto's nose and ears as he glared the Uchiha upon digesting the insult about him.

"You DARE INSULT me you BASTARD!" Naruto was about to launch to Sasuke when he tripped and…

(Insert falling sound)

"TEMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" (bastard)

Both Sasuke and Sakura sweat drop and watched Naruto go down, down, down…

"What an idiot." Sasuke blurted out.

(Yeah what an idiot.)

Sakura sighed again and was about to go down from the monument when Sasuke called her.

"Hey."

She turned around and stared lazily.

"I think I have a plan, but I want to speak with you first." He said with a look of determination in his eyes.

(Ooohhh the Uchiha brat, err, the youngest Uchiha was worried about their siblings!)

Sakura looked over to the village and then back to him.

"…okay."

-----------------------------------------

When the two were dismissed, they walked the only corridor that leads to the exit. They walked in silence. No one wanted to open up something.

(Because they really hated each other okay?)

They kept their distance to one another and only their sandals steps were heard.

Kayako glared the floor.

_I don't want to talk to him, nor see him everyday, nor call him by his name… it sucks! The very person who humiliated me is the person I must have patience with! I can't take this!_

Itachi glanced to his side but wasn't able to see the Haruno's expression. He looked forward and thought…

_She really hit my nerves. Dammit. Is it that hard to forget? Well… I can't really forget what she did to me after the exams. But man, is that how thick her skull is? Can't she just see why I did that to her!_

The moment they reached the exit, Kayako turned left and was about to leave when Itachi called out her name.

"Oi where are you going?"

Kayako glanced to the side and then glared at him.

"Like I'd tell you…" She prepared to leave but left an insult. "Bastard."

-----------------------------------------

The next day…

Sasuke and Itachi weren't talking much (should we say, Itachi was ignoring Sasuke more but Sasuke was pestering him sooooo much!) but Sasuke was pretty sure that his brother was still upset about yesterday's incident.

Who wouldn't be?

The little one glanced to his brother once again and this time Itachi had reached the peak of his patience.

"What are you looking at?" Itachi coldly said while they walk towards the forest. Sasuke asked him for another shuriken training and it seems like the older one was pissed off but he agreed to go anyway.

"What happened yesterday? You're so upset." Sasuke stated truthfully.

Itachi stopped walking and raised a brow at his brother. (Oh so the brat was curious huh?)

"What makes you think I'm upset?"

Sasuke sighed heavily. His brother is not a good liar.

"Well you weren't talking that much and you keep on glaring the floor. Who wouldn't think you're upset?"

And again, Itachi gave Sasuke a disbelieving look.

"Really huh?"

Sasuke grunted and looked lazily at his brother, "You know you should stop lying. You're not good at it."

Then a light bulb turned on atop of Itachi's head. And surprisingly, people, he smirked! Itachi walked once again and before he left his brother, he said…

"You know I'm not because you're good at it."

With that my friends, Sasuke growled!

"DAMN YOUUUUUUUUUUU!"

-----------------------------------------

Sakura was silently watching the clouds that slowly crawl up in the sky. She smiled quietly as birds flew out of the trees and went towards north. Sooner, she felt another presence lurking behind her.

"Is that you?" She asked softly.

The figure behind her came out behind the tree and went towards her.

"How long have you been waiting?" He asked quietly and sat beside her.

"10 or 5 minutes ago." She answered sweetly and smiled at him.

The raven haired kid nodded as he had an apologetic look on his face. "Aa."

"Come, join me here."

He walked towards the bench and sat beside Sakura who continued watching the clouds. He eyed her questioningly and soon followed her gaze in the sky.

"So…" Sakura started. If she only saw the surprised look as he jerked nervously when she spoke. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Aa… yeah…" He coughed nervously and stared in nothingness. "Do you think your sister values you so much?"

"Huh?" She jerked awake and looked at him incredulously. She didn't know what he's getting at.

Sasuke rephrased his statement. "I meant, if she cares for you so much that if something happen to you she would really look for you?"

"Ah that." She nodded knowingly and smiled at him, "even though we always had a verbal fight she still cares for me. I could feel that. Why did you ask?"

Sasuke nodded, "I see. She does the same like my brother… even though he always tells me to bug off."

The young Uchiha noticed her brow raised in curiously as well as her eyes shining brightly at him. He could have blushed at the sight but being him, he looked to the side and continued thinking of the plan that was forming in his brain.

"Well you see… I have a plan."

Sakura blinked at the sudden statement, "Plan?"

Sasuke returned looking at her and said, "Yes, a plan. A plan to make them talk without killing each other."

The pink haired teammate could only stare in awe while the Uchiha smiled evilly and his eyes had a glint of wickedness.

**Author's Note: **Sorry if this one's short and late. I have a writer's block you know and I've been working with someone screaming all this time that I always forget to update this one unless I reread the first chapter. Anyway, care to give an idea for their plan? Do you have something in mind? Well you can tell me in your reviews! Thank you for reading and I do hope you have a lot of patience for the next update for this story! (winks)


	11. Scroll eleven: Stealth, Run, Hide, Chase

**Behind the Glares**

_Ayane Selznick_

**Stealth, hide, run, chase!**

On a beautiful hot summer morning, the Hokage called all his selected Jounins to discuss a case – the case which Kakashi and Itachi were obligated to finish. Kakashi was able to take down a person from a large group of criminals who wanted to abolish Hokage's regime. They weren't from Konoha. They were from the Rock Village.

According from the ANBU Interrogation Unit, led by Itachi himself, the criminals will be attacking at some time this day. As Itachi calculated, it would be a huge group led by some Special Jounin from the Rock Village. At this moment, they all conclude that they were indicating a war.

"I suggest keeping an eye for this group around the borders. Keep the civilians safe by giving them instructions regarding this matter."

After the short meeting all Jounins disappeared at the Hokage's command.

-----------------------------------------

Kayako was speeding up to locate her sister and tell her not to go out of the house until the village is safe. On the way to their apartment, she saw the ever villain of her life marching towards her. She didn't intend to stay nor talk with him so she resumed walking.

"Oi, I know you saw me already. Give me some minute to discuss something with you."

The young lady smirked. "Oh shut up Uchiha. We have nothing else to discuss after all."

"Yes we do." In a matter of seconds Itachi was standing in front of Kayako.

Said girl wasn't even surprised at him as she rolled her eyes and backed away.

"Very demanding ha, bastard? Get out of my sight before I can kill you."

When she went passed him, he resorted to grabbing her arm to stop her leave.

"Itachi I'm warning you. Get your hand off my arm."

Knowing her calling him by his name, he knew that she was really angry unlike the times they both wanted to claw at each other. So he let go his hand off her arm and watched her walked pass by him.

_Why won't you listen to me?_

-----------------------------------------

Outside the bustling area of the village, random noises which indicated the arrival of the group was heard. Their leader had arrived safely on the ground, watching the high noon of Konoha.

"Finally we have come."

-----------------------------------------

Two small figures arrived near the exit of the village. One of which is (fans came in dashing with placards, banners, megaphone, you name it) a boy with black spiky hair and eyes. His blue long necked shirt with Uchiha fan indicates his honorable family in Konoha (flowery words yeah, you meet this all the time, no?) and the other with striking pink hair and lovely green eyes. Matching in her red cheongsam is a white plain circle attached at the front of the skirt and at the sides of her shoulder (other fans brought flowers and the like… bah you name it).

Sakura approached Sasuke as she was eyeing the huge door of the village's exit.

"This should work though."

Sasuke with narrowed eyes halted the female teammate, friend, and cr— (WAHAHAHA you think I'll spoil the fun?) as if he sensed something suspicious.

"I know this'll work, trust me."

-----------------------------------------

Haruno Kayako angrily kicked open the door of their apartment. Head still steaming from the short conversation with Itachi (if I were her, I would just stay with him the whole day).

"The hell he forced me to give a minute." She placed her hands on her hips and glared the floor. "No one commands me! Well, other than my superiors… but hey he's exceptional! He's a bastard… a jerk! A-"

Before she went on with her ramblings she noticed how quiet the house is. She narrowed her eyes and searched for her younger sister.

"Sakura?" She went to the kitchen yet no little pink haired girl was found.

She decided to take the second floor of where the younger sister's room is. When she opened the door she found the neat folded dress and bed, yet no Sakura was found. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

_Today is supposedly her break. Other than that she would love to stay inside the house than go outside… She's pretty cautious with her skin._

She looked at the wall clock of the room and sped off out of the apartment.

-----------------------------------------

Usually at this hour, the Uchiha mansion is being watched over the mother of the family. She would cook, clean and tend the garden. Sometimes the father of the family would rest at his quarters or joined his wife sitting at the veranda while reminiscing. Then the younger sibling would come in at noon to eat lunch then go outside to train.

It's high noon already but no Sasuke around.

"Okaasan, where's Sasuke?" Asked the ever coolness façade of her oldest son.

The mother of the Uchiha boys shrugged as she was preparing their lunch.

"He went out after breakfast. He hasn't come back yet." Then she noticed the sudden silence of her child so she turned around and can't help but notice the wrinkles that formed at her son's forehead. "Is something wrong?"

Itachi jerked awake, away from thinking where the hell his brother could be. He shook his head and told his mom that he would look for Sasuke anyway. So without further ado, the eldest sibling went out of the house again leaving the smiling mother behind.

-----------------------------------------

Sakura sat on the bench in front of a tree. She was waiting for Sasuke who had gone out for a while to buy them lunch.

While she was waiting for him to return, she watched the bright high sun of the afternoon glow and wondered what will her sister and his brother will do once they found out that they're both missing? Will they have another verbal fight during their search?

It would be possible, knowing her older sister, who wanted to beat the hell out of that Uchiha…

But Sakura disapproved her negative thoughts and told herself, _I trust Sasuke-kun's plan. They'll talk._

**ZOOM!**

With immediate reflexes, Sakura jumped away from the bench she was once sitting on and looked for the origin of the kunais that suddenly whizzed to her.

"Impressive for a girl with pink hair…" Said a person clad in robe to which is used for camouflage.

Sakura had to narrow her eyes to prove that she's not afraid of them (even if she is, NOW WHERE IS SASUKE-kun the HERO?). She took out a kunai from her kunai holster and gripped it tightly while she was looking at all the foreign people coming out from the other side of the border.

The person who almost nailed her on the bench walked dangerously at her. She noticed the killing intent from his Chakra that Sakura needed to back away.

"That girl can be used as a hostage." One of them suggested.

_Of all things… why must these things happen? _Sakura thought while looking at the larger group coming from behind her.

They went straight to the village and she knew that something is wrong. She looked back at the person who was now meters away from her ready to grab her when…

**TA-CHING!**

A sharpened kunai skyrocket the suspect who was in attempt of hurting his comrade. Sakura and the foreign ninja looked at the source of the kunai but they found no one, instead…

"Sakura, you okay?" He asked in his low voice which contains venom and excessive seriousness while he looks at the man who was strangely looking back at him now that he finally located the one who threw the damn weapon.

Sakura had her eyes twitching at utter stupidity. He could have escaped with her when he diverted the attention of those people from her. But what he did is…

TRYING TO BE A HERO?

Goodness gracious…

She walked a closer to him and muttered in annoying tone, "You could have escaped and tell the others about these weird people trespassing our village."

Sasuke has to wheel his head to where he could see the person he SUPPOSEDLY saved and said, "Don't get mad at me, I just don't want them to hurt you."

(Very SMOOTH Uchiha! REALLY SMOOTH! Yiheee)

Sakura's eyes widened when she heard what he just said. She smiled quietly and muttered, "Thank you."

Sasuke smirked when he heard her answer. When he got the signal, he immediately threw his shurikens to the only person who was left to get Sakura as a hostage. Sakura then jumped from the high branch for quick escape however…

**THUD.**

Someone hit the back of her neck making her unconscious.

"SAKURA!"

**THUD.**

Of course the idiot got himself in trouble too. He made himself a hostage when he diverted his attention from his opponent.

-----------------------------------------

Kayako had searched everywhere, most accurately, the places where her sister could have gone to but still she couldn't find Sakura. This made her worry even more.

_Tch. When I see that girl, I'm definitely going to spank her._

She looked sideways and still couldn't get a glimpse of another pink haired Genin. So she decided to hop on and search in another place when suddenly…

"Have you seen my little brother?"

That voice (I have to shriek like a fan girl here woohoo!)…

The height…

The black eyes and hair…

He's definitely…

"It's you again." She finally said after she had a full view of his body right in front of her. She tried to snob him but she noticed the masked anxiety (how did she know that he's anxious when he's masked it?) plastered on his face.

"I have no time to argue with you. I'm just asking if you have seen my little brother."

"No I didn't." She walked pass by him and tried to mask the anxiety she already had even before Itachi came.

However being the keen observant of them all, Itachi has seen her eyes and her sweat trickling down from her forehead.

"You must be searching for Sakura-chan, too."

She didn't look back but guiltily said, "So what?"

"Sasuke and Sakura-chan might be elsewhere together. So why don't we—"

Finally she faced the calmed Uchiha Itachi and uttered in high pitched voice… "We're not going as **WE**, I'm going to find my sister **on-my-own**."

She was on the verge of getting away again when Itachi grabbed her arms once more. Kayako attempted to break free but Itachi just gripped it tight earning a little pain in Kayako's part.

"You're hurting me Itachi, let go!" She said but Itachi did not.

"You've been avoiding me ever since and I don't want you to just runaway again." He said in his oh-so-serious tone.

This made Kayako get angry. "Why are you so adamant? Can't you see I don't want to talk to you?"

"I know that. That's the main reason why I have to talk to you… after this mess." Itachi tugged her arm to the opposite direction to continue the search.

"HEY what are you doing? Let me go!" Kayako insisted but Itachi dragged her all the way.

"In case you haven't notice, I'm your superior so you must follow my orders." He said and disappeared together with Kayako leaving her no room to retort.

-----------------------------------------

Meanwhile…

Sasuke finally woke up from unconsciousness. He felt himself tied with another. His hands moved but his tied wrist prevented him to do whatever he wanted to do to escape.

"Damn…"

Behind him was the awakened teammate.

"Ugh… my head hurts…"

Sasuke wheeled his head to the side and saw a glimpse of pink beside him.

"Sakura." He called out.

"Sasuke-kun?" She answered from behind. She desperately wanted to go home and cancel this **plan**. But they both know they cannot because of the situation.

And the situation is…

They're both hostages!

"I see the brats have awakened." Said one of the foreigner ninja whom Sakura saw break in the gates of Konoha.

_Shit we're caught now we're taken as hostages… damn… _Sasuke cursed himself for being such an idiot for not thinking what's underneath the underneath as Kakashi would say.

"Where are we?" Sakura whispered to Sasuke. She was faced to the corners of the small room and she cannot decipher their location.

"Abandoned store inside Konoha…" Sasuke answered when he saw a lot of store shelves in front of him and a man sitting on a chair waiting at the door while guarding them.

Sakura tried to get off the tied rope but she simply cannot. It was too tight and she started to feel that the flow of her blood would have stopped.

"Guards?" She asked and Sasuke knew what she was trying to ask of him.

"One inside, two outside." Of course, by this time he had acquired the level two Sharingan. He knew that there were two Chakras outside the store.

Sakura sighed tiredly as she leaned herself on Sasuke's back. (I have to tell you this, Sasuke was completely RED! He looks like a tomato nyahahah!)

"Sa-Sakura?" Notice that stammering, I told you he has something on Sakura.

"Probably, our elder siblings are out to look for us. I hope they'll figure out that we've been invaded by foreign group of ninjas." She whispered tiredly and sighed heavily.

Sasuke noticed this and felt that she must have been stressed out.

_Despite our situation, she still thinks about our siblings and the situation of the village. Tough girl. _He looked at the man guarding them who was in turn honing his weapon. He didn't have the ability to hear their conversation because of the distance and the way they whisper to one another.

_I have to make a plan and escape. I can't rely on my brother. He must be out there protecting the village. For now, h_is eyes darted at the pink hair on his shoulder; _I have to do something to get us out of here._

**Author's Notes: **Don't think that this one's dead already! But I really should say my sorry because of the VERY LONG UPDATE. I know it took almost a year for me to update this one and I have no good excuse XD From here on I can see that there will be a few chapters left for me to end this story so stay put and enjoy reading!

**Plug-Ins**: _A Utopian Chronicle_ – Newest fanfic story and the only fantasy genre in my account, for Naruto category at least. It's like an RPG story! _Someone Screaming Dim Light _– Alternate Story of the tragic one. This definitely is a good ending. You can locate this story at Someone Screaming but start reading on chapter 15. _Daydreamer_ – one shot collections of Sasuke and Sakura. Each chapter has different stories. _Where should I go?_ – AU story that revolves the school and love life of Haruno Sakura. Now at the Prom chapter! Also my fanarts for AUC (A Utopian Chronicle) and SasuSaku-ness. You can find the link at my profile page, it's in my homepage and it will link you to my DeviantArt. Enjoy!


	12. Scroll twelve: Kick Some Ass

**Behind the Glares**

_Ayane Selznick_

**Kick some ass!**

The Konoha ninjas located the invaders and discovered that they were from the Rock village. As the high superiors expected, they were here to assassinate the High Council as well as rob all the necessary secretly kept scrolls of the forbidden techniques for whatever they don't know.

ANBU are everywhere.

They were trying to get some timing to get the entire opposing platoon using stealth and silent killing.

So in short, it's war out there!

-----------------------------------------

Kayako and Itachi didn't stop their search for their siblings despite the crisis happening in their village. They've been briefed about the case and Itachi can handle anything if he encountered unexpected battle. On the other hand, Kayako had a few experience for solo missions as well as group missions and she's good at assassination and run messages. In this case however, she was given a position to relocate evacuees if something happened.

Unexpectedly, she came across Itachi and so she has to follow his orders.

She glared at the person right in front of her and started complaining at the sudden outcome of her search.

_Why did I even end up with you? Damn, of all people…_

She clutched her fist tightly as she felt unfamiliar Chakras everywhere. In a split second, Itachi stopped his jumping only to have his eyes scan the area.

He talked in a low voice that only the woman behind him could hear, "Fifteen."

Kayako knew what he just said. It's the number of foreign Chakras that might have surrounded them (or should I say, JUST surrounded them). She narrowed her eyes but never made a move to provoke the ambushers.

Out of nowhere, a set of kunais rained on them.

Both Itachi and Kayako jumped away from the target area. Itachi however heard the hissing sound from the kunais to which alerted him.

"TAKE COVER!" He shouted.

Shocked at the sudden command, Kayako ran towards the large barren trunk to make it as her shield.

**KABOOM!**

The Konoha Kunoichi panted heavily after the explosion. If she didn't get a cover she might have splattered everywhere in the field. (Aww heck field? I forgot XD). They went passed the playground and some houses near the center of the village. They are now in the battlefield near the gates and walls of Konoha. Since the villagers have evacuated earlier, the place can be called as a huge battle field already.

The ambush of the foreign ninjas didn't end their yet. Now that Kayako and Itachi are kilometers apart, they can set their different traps for the two of them. Itachi knew exactly what these thugs are up to so he hastily located Kayako and tugged her out of the shell to get away as soon as possible.

"Will you quit dragging me around? You're dislocating my arms!" Kayako yelled angrily while they trudge the path towards the entrance of the village.

But Itachi didn't say anything instead he took out three kunais and flung then all in front of him and heard a succession of thuds when they passed by.

He just hit three ninjas!

_Even if this is an ambush, he still holds the upper hand with his Sharingan. He can see everybody. I wonder if he uses it to peek at the bathhouse. Heh if he does he's definitely dead by now._

Then she noticed how his hand clutched around her lower arm. It wasn't tight or too loose. It was just right and she couldn't help but remember their days as a team.

_(Flashback)_

_During the second Chuunin exams, their team encountered a seemingly powerful herd of dangerous wolves. Itachi decided to lure them in his trap but they have to make it as a team._

_Little Kayako accidentally got her leg at some branch and vines while they hop away from the herd._

"_I'm stuck help!"_

_Upon hearing her cries, Itachi rotated his feet and went back to Kayako and helped her get out from the branches and vines. When they're done, he pulled her up and held her lower arm so as not to get behind._

"_Let's go." He commanded._

_(End of Flashback)_

She couldn't help but held a nostalgic look in her eyes. It seems like at some point, even if she hated him more than anything else, he still have—

**KABOOM!**

Kayako was alerted when she was pulled at a tree again where she and Itachi hid themselves from another ambush. She noticed how his whole body covered her own as she was inclined at the tree.

She blushed deep red.

"Get off you pervert!" She hissed and pushed Itachi away from her.

Itachi only glared at her and hissed back, "Be quiet."

She glared back but made a harrumph sound to which was heard by another ambush group. Kayako heard Itachi made a "tch" sound and pulled her up again as they escape from an upcoming set of kunais that will surely rain on them.

"Keep dragging me around and I'll kill you." Kayako angrily muttered when she tried to pull back her arm from Itachi's tight grip.

The target of her madness did not even turn around when he warned her, "If you know what's good for you then shut up."

Again, the angry kunoichi tried to pull her arm back but failed.

"If you know what's good for you then stop dragging me around, damn it!" She retorted.

Instead of giving up and giving in her angry request, Itachi just pulled her harder until she was inches from his face. Well, they had to stop and hide again from the bushes just to do that.

(Wit-wew! Smooth Itachi!)

Kayako watched Itachi's eyes glare at her in really furious way to which increase her already tensed condition. She did shut up but she was panting heavily. She has not seen this side of Itachi, not even during their Genin days.

"Let me remind you that we're in state of emergency. Both our siblings are missing. We've been in too much trouble on the way." He took a deep breath and added, "Can't you leave **that **behind just for once?"

She noticed that he wasn't just desperate for her to just forget it for he is also desperate for her to cooperate. And with all those minutes they just spent together, she would have notice how he is determined to save the village, their siblings and…apparently, her.

Kayako turned her head to the right so as to avoid the digging glares of Uchiha Itachi. She just couldn't place a finger of what she's feeling right now.

_Damn it, I look so immature right now. He put himself right in front of me to realize the past and the present._

(Little miss soap opera is starting to make a drama here. Gets shot)

_But… I just couldn't dismiss what happened during **that** **day**. He… _Kayako looked at Itachi's eyes which were still looking at her. Again, she avoided his gaze and resumed talking to herself in her thoughts. _How could I forget the day he ended up my career as a Kunoichi? Well I still am a Kunoichi… but instead of giving me encouragement, he gave me depression._

Itachi caught a glimpse of teardrops from Kayako's eyes and he knew what was going on inside her head. To stop the unwanted drama for he is not yet prepared for this kind of scenario, he calmly breathed in and said…

"Look, I know what you're thinking right now. Let me explain what happened that day after this… invasion." He let go of her and waited for her to say something.

Kayako slowly looked back on his eyes while her right hand feels the trace of his warm hands. She retracted her hands and finally asked him…

"So… what's your plan?"

Itachi could only close his eyes and smirk.

"Listen carefully…"

-----------------------------------------

Sasuke scrutinized the small abandoned store using his red keen eyes – Sharingan on its second level. Both of them knew how to untie any kind of knots when they were in the academy and the knot that they're into are not new to them. But they won't just give it out only to be seen by the guardian who was simply taking things lightly.

In other words, they were underestimating the strength of these two Genins.

Sakura who asked Sasuke about their location once again finally had an idea of how they'll escape from the inside and out. They quickly untied the ropes on each other's wrist. When done, Sasuke took the rope and stealthy made his way towards the defenseless guard and hit him squarely in the neck to make him unconscious instantly.

Sakura immediately took the post to watch the other guards from the outside while Sasuke tied the unconscious guard in their place. She glanced at Sasuke's location at the same time he was finished tying the knot. Sasuke gave nod and they both went to one corner near the door of the store. Sasuke had a hidden explosive tag on his forehead protector. Taking it out on his forehead, he wrapped the string on a kunai then lighted it with a lighter that he got from the guard. When it started hissing, Sasuke threw the kunai at the other corner of the room. Instinctively, he fixed the table and made it a cover for him and for Sakura.

**KABOOM!**

_That should distract those guards outside… _Sasuke thought and in a matter of seconds the guards outside came bolted inside the abandoned house to check the hostages and their companion.

_It's time! _

Sasuke pulled Sakura from their hidden place and dashed outside the blazing abandoned store.

-----------------------------------------

Kayako was seen by two ambushed groups. Some of them were positioned near and into the rice fields and some were at the exit going to the center of the village. The dark pink haired kunoichi narrowed her eyes while she clenched and unclenched her fist, still disbelieving that she agreed to help her ex-teammate.

_What I didn't want to believe is I made myself the bait!_

**SWOOSH!**

A number of shuriken and kunais showered her back and front to block her path. She quickly put her hands into a hand seal to execute a technique.

**_Water Element: Dense Stream Technique!_**

The water from the rice field suddenly enveloped the Konoha kunoichi. It rotated around her and changed into a solid form – an ice barrier. All weapons that were hurled to her are now attached to the solid water.

_Now I know it's a lot more dangerous if you make yourself as bait!_

She heard a hissing sound from the outside. Quickly searching what it was, her eyes grew wide.

_Exploding notes!_

**KABOOM!**

When a cloud of smoke filled the area which Kayako was into, an ambush squad positioned in the rice field came out and went straight ahead to the center of the village.

However…

**_Earth Element: Mud Prison Technique!_**

The combination of exploded ice barrier that turned into water which splattered to the muddy surface of where the rice farmers walk aside from the rice plains, are combined to strengthen the power of the Jutsu. Now those who are captured by this technique are the one who came out from the rice fields themselves, the first ambush squad.

The cloud of smoke from the early explosion slowly dissipated as it clearly showed a figure of man with his hands clasp together.

(OH MY GOD! It's a HOTTIE! I faint)

His red eyes blazed with three sharp edges swirling within.

_Finally done with one squad. _He looked at the exit of the rice field and saw several Chakras hauling from one place to another. Some molding it to attack him since he's like a sitting duck, vulnerable of any attacks. _Think again…_

When several Ninjutsu attacked him all at once, Itachi's speedy hands clasped together to summon another technique.

**_Earth Element: Mud Barrier Technique!_**

With booming sound from the earth, several blocks of mud rose to protect the elder Uchiha. He still had his Sharingan on to read all his opponents' moves even from the other side of his molded Chakra barrier. But even without using his Sharingan, he already knew what they would do.

Now that he's in his own prison, they'll attack him from above or from behind as an ambush. Lots of unknown ninjas from an unknown village dashed towards Itachi who was still inside his own barrier. But when they almost got near him, they've been attacked by an arsenal of kunais with strings attached to its tip hole. They were all hit, even if when they arrived in circle formation.

Itachi who was still inside, smirked at how his ex-teammate take the second ambush squad with her own hands.

_Greedy as usual…_

**_Fire Element: Fire Flame Technique!_**

The fiery flames crawled at high speed at the strings that she attached from her mouth. It all went towards the ninjas who received her kunai to their flesh. And when flame swallowed each ninjas around them, they screamed in pain.

Yet, Itachi was proud of his partner.

_I taught her that technique. _His eyes turned heartbreaking when he added, _during the Chuunin Exams._

He knew that everything's done from here, they've prevent two squads from going towards the heart of the village so he casually canceled the barrier around him and walked towards the exit of the rice fields as if nothing happened.

Kayako who was in mid-air finally landed safely on the ground. She looked at their work, observing if some of them are still alive. When she's done, she stood up and followed the self-proclaimed ANBU genius.

**ZOOM!**

(Everybody let's do the slow-mo!)

When Kayako and Itachi had faced their back from the rice fields, a pair of zooming kunais appeared from the bushes. It aimed for Kayako and Itachi's head! And the one who threw those kunais had a scar in his right eye. Unbelievable he still can hit the spot!

Or maybe he was underestimating too much, when he unexpectedly saw what he saw next.

Casually, Itachi and Kayako swayed a little to their right and using their left hand, they quickly snatched the approaching sharpened tool before it hit their left arms. The man who threw the kunais was going to escape when Kayako immediately threw her kunai towards the target at high pace but ignored the altitude of how she threw it.

Itachi knew that it will not hit the target so he gave timing and threw a return kunai, following what Kayako just returned. At great speed, it collided with Kayako's kunai to which forced it to re-direct its momentum to have it hit directly at the back of the head of their target.

(Remember how Itachi practiced at the woods when Sasuke was watching him, notice the clashing and colliding of kunais, it's like that!)

Kayako bent her head to the side as if trying to see whether their target is killed or not. Itachi had withdrawn his Sharingan, coolly turning around he simply walked out again as if nothing happened.

"Clear." He said.

The girl gave a last look, doubting the captain's sentence then resumed walking behind him.

-----------------------------------------

Sasuke and Sakura were panting heavily as they jump from one branch to another. They were far away from the abandoned house and the thugs won't be able to find them easily because they barely leave their tracks behind. Sakura was near to exhaustion and Sasuke was out of breath so they both decided to make a stop as they plopped on the wide branch to get more air.

_How long should we go? _Sakura asked to herself while she wiped away the trickling sweat on her forehead.

Sasuke looked at their tracks and the path forward while his shoulders rise and fall as he breathe heavily.

_We're near the rice fields. After that we'll be able to see some tea houses nearby. We'll take it as cover._

(Excuse the location of the plains and houses. I have no idea of their exact locations)

He looked at Sakura and almost had a heart attack when she suddenly went unconscious. She was slipping at the edge of the branch that if she skidded completely she'll fall hard on the ground. Sasuke pulled her quickly and tried to wake her up.

"Sakura! Hey Sakura! Open your eyes!"

At first he shook her mildly but when she didn't respond, he almost shook her vehemently.

"SAKURA!"

"Stop… Sh-shaking…" Sakura finally said between her breathless statements.

"You got me worried! You'll die if you do that again!"

Sakura noticed the tensed voice of her comrade and teammate. If she could only open her eyes, she could have seen the fierce emotion in his eyes. They revealed the ultimate fretfulness that his soul truly express.

In return, Sakura lifted her right hand to reach Sasuke's face. When she felt his cheek, she lovingly caressed the spot. In all truth, she didn't know why she had to do that. She got Sasuke shut up and stared at her with dumbfounded expression.

"You worry too much…" She inhaled some air and resumed, "Don't let negative emotions be in your way…" Again she breathed in and finished, "Focus, Sasuke-kun, Focus."

There was a ghostly smile plastered all over her face. Sasuke didn't know why she was saying all those words as if she's…

Suddenly, his eyes turned wide.

"Oi, Sakura, don't close your eyes yet! We have to get pass the rice fields first!" Sasuke nervously yelled as he collected her entire body in his arms.

Sakura smiled again and was going to drop her hand that was caressing Sasuke's face when Sasuke instinctively caught it with his hand. Now their hands stayed on his cheek.

"I… I'm okay, Sasuke-kun… really…"

Sasuke shook his head, no, and finally decided that he'll have to carry her until they went pass the rice fields. When they find a safe shelter, that's when the time he can leave her and ask for help. He took her body once again, one arm supporting her back to her shoulder and the other holding the back of her knees. He resolved jumping from the ground rather than the branches, so he carefully dropped down with Sakura in his arms and dashed away from the woods.

-----------------------------------------

Both elder siblings were carefully skipping from one branch to another when they both felt a weak and familiar Chakra drawing near. They didn't have to look at each other knowing that what they just felt should be trusted. They knew it was their young siblings.

"Sakura!" The elder Haruno shouted as she went pass Uchiha.

"Sasuke!" He shouted and hopped behind Kayako.

Minutes later, they both heard a small scream of a boy. It screamed for his older brother.

"Nii-san!" He shouted back.

"Sasuke!" Itachi felt glad to hear his little brother's voice so hopped pass Kayako and welcomed his brother who had stopped running.

When Kayako didn't hear Sakura's reply after Sasuke's yell, she felt doomed. She had a lot of ways to worry about her sister; of what could have happened to her? She practically blamed the young Uchiha for leaving her sister behind. Nonetheless, who could have blamed her for blaming the others even if the one should be blamed is her and her ex-teammate Itachi?

That, they didn't know yet.

Itachi suddenly shouted at her, "Kayako!"

Alarmed, and finally returning in reality, Kayako looked at the source of the voice. When she finally knew what he was about to say, her eyes went wide at the sight of her younger sister, sleeping and dirt covered at Sasuke's arms.

"SAKURA!" She screamed and dashed full speed to where Sasuke and Itachi were.

Both Uchihas were shocked at her sudden velocity and when she quickly took it away from Sasuke. She tried to wake up her sister by slapping mildly at Sakura's cheeks.

"Hey, Sakura! Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan, wake up!"

Sasuke was about to say that she just fainted and needed to rest when Itachi pulled his little brother by the collar and shook no. He let go of his hold on his brother then walked towards the Haruno sisters. Kayako was hovering over her sister's body that they carefully laid earlier. She kept on shaking her sister to wake her up and now she's hysterical.

"Dehydration. All she needs is water. And a little rest." The elder sibling knelt beside the sleeping Sakura and pushed a soldier pill in her rosy lips. "For now she has to regain consciousness until we reached the Med."

Itachi tossed a pill towards Sasuke who casually caught it and swallowed it right away. He gave another one to Kayako.

"Conserve your Chakra. From here till we reach the hospital is clear. All we have to do is avoid unnecessary side trips. When we fall in their trap we might endanger Sakura's condition."

Sasuke anxiously looked at Sakura's sleeping form, Itachi bore nothing but seriousness and Kayako hugged her dear sister in to herself. Itachi looked at his crew and decided what to do while they take the route.

"Sasuke and I will just cover your back and front. Kayako will have to carry Sakura-chan then."

The little Uchiha was about to say that he's not completely capable of fighting with Jounins, would want to suggest that he'll carry Sakura. However his brother, Itachi, even before Sasuke tried to start a sentence, already denied his suggestion.

"You don't have much stamina to carry her to the hospital, besides; you can't protect and attack at once. I would want to take Kayako's position but it's much better to protect the back and front." He looked at his young brother with such seriousness in his eyes, "You will cover Kayako's back while I take front."

Kayako already placed Sakura on her back, prepared to go, when Sasuke went to his brother and looked at him seriously in the eyes. Itachi already got what he was saying. He lifted his hand, and ushered his brother to come closer. When Sasuke followed his order, Itachi flicked his forehead.

"Ow!" The kid groaned as he nursed his sore forehead.

"You have to start believing in yourself, Sasuke. Accept challenges and make it your stepping stone for your growth. You gain nothing if you hold back."

With this, Sasuke smiled at his brother and nodded. Itachi nodded as well. He's proud that he shared another inspiration statement with his brother. Looking ahead, Itachi gave them the signal to head on with him in front.

-----------------------------------------

Naruto was on his bed sleeping soundly when all of a sudden, someone barged in his room with a loud bang. The blonde instantaneously stood up in attacking stance.

"WHADDYA WANT BARGING IN MY APARTMENT AT GODLY HOUR, HA!"

The intruder really had a huge sweat dropped at the side of his head when he stared bizarrely at the young blonde clad in pajamas.

"I see that your godly hour is actually noon. Now I understand your terms." The intruder said in a casual tone as he walked towards Naruto.

On the other hand, Naruto finally figured out who the intruder was as he pointed an accusing finger when he got closer to where Naruto was.

"KAKASHI-SENSEI! WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING IN HERE!" He yelled once again.

"Why can't you be so quiet?" His sensei requested.

"How dare you ask me that in my house?" Naruto asked furiously when sharply pointed his index fingers towards Kakashi's position. "Hey it's rest day so no intruding of houses unless you…" Then something came up in his head. Immediately his fiery expression turned to a jovial one, "You're giving me a special training!"

"No." Kakashi replied instantly when he looked over the window. "I have to ask you something."

Naruto noticed the grim seriousness in Kakashi's tone. "Something happened?"

Kakashi turned to the side and said, "Do you have the special edition of Icha Icha Paradise?"

**Author's Notes: **(burst out laughing until I choke, I need AIR!) Ahem. Well sorry for the long wait for this installment, I hope you enjoy this chapter, the way I enjoyed writing the last part. I really don't know how in the world I get something as crazy as that for a cliffhanger! Oh geez I have to prepare the next chapter for this story so NO preview and don't make me say that the next chapter is the last because I don't know if it's the last. Lolz! Well tata for now! I have to get up early tomorrow!

Oh another thing, I have lots of ideas for SasuSaku stories! I won't promise anything but let me work with it first heheheh!


	13. Scroll thirteen: That Day

**Behind the Glares**

_Ayane Selznick_

**That Day**

Succession of soft thuds echoed the small forest.

Since Itachi was in front line with his small party behind him, he activated his Sharingan to detect any unwanted Chakra that might come and ambush them on the way. Seeing as there won't be any threat after they've defeated two ambush groups earlier, the other groups must have been dashing all the way towards the Hokage tower.

_Just what the hell are they up to barging in here anyway?_

He took a quick glance from west and east then resumed looking north.

_Seems like only one group survive… _

Before he can quickly assume everything, he finally saw the Konoha Hospital.

He smiled and said out loud, "We're here."

-----------------------------------------

Little Sakura-chan was delivered to a room where Medic Nins quickly take their positions to help her recover. Although it was dehydration, stress and low Chakra reserve, they still tended to her needs. After a while, all the Medics disappeared to tend another group of Shinobis who were injured from an invasion, which happened previously.

While her little sister sleeps on the bed, Kayako decided to buy food and water for her. She didn't consider talking to the young Uchihas but Itachi easily deciphered what was inside her mind.

(Might as well mention that he wanted to talk to her about **that **incident…)

After Kayako closed Sakura's door, Itachi slowly moved his way out of the room but was noticed by his kid brother who was also attempted to follow him.

"Sakura-chan didn't like the idea of waking up alone."

Clever. What a clever idea Uchiha Itachi. He just read his brother's mind and stopped him from following his lead. However that doesn't end there yet.

The eldest brother continued, "Besides, you wanted to have privacy with her anyway." With this he quickly disappeared before being struck by Sasuke's handful of shuriken.

"Damn you…" The little Uchiha muttered unaware that his face turned sizzling tomato.

(Kawaii!)

-----------------------------------------

Once she left her sister's room, she immediately decided to take a walk at the market to buy her sister's needs. She didn't care if her savings will be used as long as her sister will get well soon. She stopped jumping already when she landed at the ground. Surprisingly, there was an area where people are oblivious to what happened earlier or maybe they're finally back to their businesses after all, Konoha Nins are fast workers.

Sighing, she started walking and looking for restaurants or food stands to buy lunch. Sasuke-kun mentioned that they haven't eaten their lunch yet so it was one of the reasons why she almost drain her entire Chakra and dried from dehydration.

Surprising, though, she didn't get mad at that man's little brother. She understood their situation; not that she knew that their siblings were planning to set them up. Also, she grew tired from the short battle they teamed up with.

_Wait a sec… why am I thinking of him again?_

She shook her head after buying the lunch for her sister. Then she decided to take a quick stroll at the fruit stand to buy some juicy fruits. While doing so, she halted to a stop when Uchiha Itachi appeared right in front of her.

She felt something enraged inside her again but she stopped that rage for her sister. She has to hurry up and deliver all these stuff before Sakura-chan wakes up. So without thinking, she side stepped once and went pass Itachi's form.

"I'll help you with that." He offered but Kayako just continued walking.

"Shouldn't you be reporting to the tower?" She asked when she stopped at another fruit stand, meters away from where Itachi was standing.

Since he got her attention, he turned around and looked at her from afar.

"I promised to tell you exactly what happened that time. The report can wait later."

_Ah so he's telling me that I'm much important than the village? How sweet._ It was sarcastic, not romantic.

Kayako refused to reply. When she's done with quick shopping, she opted to teleport back to the hospital when suddenly a hand prevented her from doing the hands seals. She knew who it was.

She dared to look him in the eye for a glare but she stopped when she noticed how his eyes begged her to listen. Although his eyes told him gravity of the matter, there was something behind it that made her stay. Mentally counting from 1 to 10, Kayako breathed out the air she held for a second and looked at him in his eyes.

"Let's talk elsewhere," She said, "I wouldn't want the whole village to know what this buzz all about is."

Truly, when Itachi glanced from both left and right, he noticed that all the merchants and buyers were all listening to the two of them. He felt his blood rose to his cheeks as he silently agreed to Kayako's suggestion.

"Follow me." He finally said and disappeared from his quickness, Kayako trailing behind.

Now that they were at the hospital's rooftop, Kayako silently placed her baggage at the side of the door of the stairs then crossed her arms across her chest. Itachi, however, just stood there looking at her actions.

This made her agitated and aggravated.

"Well, you said you wanted to talk. Don't tell me you're asking me to say something. I told you—"

"You were almost killed that time." Finally Itachi put up that topic from the past that absolutely shut his ex-teammate's continuous blabbering.

Her eyes widened dramatically, waiting for his next statements to be heard.

"The second to the last exam, the elimination match was held as one-on-one combat test."

Kayako remembered that one. Right after the teamwork tests of Heaven and Earth scrolls, they have to be eliminated from that certain test. And that was the time when **it** happened.

Itachi continued though, his eyes never turned away from Kayako's.

"You were the seventh combatant along with that Ninja from Sand. He was skilled and far more experienced than you were."

That earned a popping vein on her temple.

"You're saying I was weak back then! Why you—"

Itachi took the liberty to butt in before she explodes.

"Sensei and I noticed that he was experienced for eliminating people."

"What?" Her eyes went wide again.

"I remember what our Sensei told me about the man you're fighting with. That Chuunin exam was his second try out. He didn't pass the previous exam because he killed his opponent on purpose…" His eyelids finally closing half of his lovely black orbs as he resumed their story, "I was… scared if the same thing will happen to you."

_What… did he just say? He was afraid that… I'll be killed?_

She noticed that Itachi looked away.

"Your match was about to end, knowing that the Ninja from the Sand got the upper hand. When he launched you to the wall you instantly fell unconscious. After ten seconds of counting, the Sand Ninja won the round. But…"

"But what?"

He looked back to her eyes, letting her look at his enraged emotion.

"After the counting, he yelled at you to wake up and then at the same time delivering his death blow. The audience was shocked when he started attacking you, ignoring the situation that you were already unconscious."

She narrowed her eyes at that but continued listening.

"But the blow didn't happen because…" He looked away and said, "I knocked him back."

Suddenly she felt her insides churned. He protected her from death? He put himself in danger for her sake? Oh geez, conscience dear, conscience!

Her mind demanded to voice out loud the question, "WHY?" but it looks like her throat went dry which means, Itachi had the time to continue.

"There were screams and yells that told him to stop but it he didn't listen. He tried to take me out but failed. He was on his last trial when the Examiner held him away and asked the Hokage for the decision." He sighed, "They decided to get rid of the Ninja right away seeing as he's gone wild. Then declared a draw match since you haven't been awakened."

Itachi placed his hands on both his pockets then smirked.

"Then you woke up after the declaration. And the first thing you said when you laid your eyes on me was—"

"—what did you just do…" Kayako interjected when she remembered what exactly she threw on him.

Silence prevailed for a couple of minutes.

Itachi had nothing more to say knowing that Kayako remembered what happened afterwards. She, on the other hand, felt ashamed, not because of what she previously thought of, but because of her way of bringing shame to herself. Of all things to say to him, she just accused him as though he did something wrong when in fact he risked his life to protect her – to save her from death.

Kayako felt like crying because of that shame. She was going to cover her face from the tears that were threatening to fall when Itachi's hands suddenly held her wrist.

"I didn't mean this to make you feel that way. I'm just telling the exact thing." Suddenly he heard her sniffed and then her shoulders trembling.

Well, what do you know; Kayako was actually acting like Sakura-chan!

"I-I… I didn't know that-that something like that happened when I was out… why didn't you tell me!" She cried and attempted to flail away her wrist from his hold.

Itachi held her sudden reaction while waiting for the right time to voice out his side.

"I was trying to tell you that but you were angry. I tried explaining to you but all you ever did was brush me off."

This made Kayako cried even more… Itachi just sighed. He didn't know how to comfort girls, just like Sasuke.

"I…I'm so… I'm so sorry…" Finally the young Haruno uttered after her sniffs and sobs. Itachi just held her shoulder.

(Shoulder? Since when did his hands go there?)

_Flashback_

_While Kayako was stuttering and accusing him of not telling her what happened that day, his hands immediately landed on her shoulder when she attempted to hit him._

_End of Flashback_

(Was it really that important? Sheesh.)

"I'm so immature…" Sniff, "I should have," Sniff, "Listened to you…" Cry.

Itachi mentally smirked at how immature she was when crying. Suddenly, she finally burst out everything while she clutched his shirt. In other words, she collided herself to him.

"I even ruined everything we had back then! Waaaahhh…!"

Stunned from what she's done for the both of them, he couldn't help but blush. Both his arms dropped at his side while Kayako held his shirt.

_Great, I was once a human alarm clock, now I'm officially changing my job into a human tissue._

Seeing as they were the only ones on the rooftop, Itachi prepared himself to allow and return the embrace. Ahem, to **comfort** her. His shaky hands slowly wrap around her while he nervously gulped his own saliva thinking how embarrassing he would get once someone will—

"Yo!"

—see them.

"Oh!"

Apparently, it wasn't one… they were two.

-----------------------------------------

Sakura stirred in her sleep, making her senses fully awake when she felt like leaving her dream state behind.

"Sakura." A familiar voice called her name.

She knew that it wasn't her sister; the voice was too deep for a female. She hasn't opened her eyes yet but once she did, she finally recognized the owner of the voice.

"Sasuke-kun…" She weakly called out his name.

She tried to get up but Sasuke told her to rest. Her dull green eyes looked around the room.

"I'm in the hospital, huh?" She asked.

"Aa."

When she laid her eyes on him, she gave him a weak smile.

"Thank you for bringing me here."

Sasuke shook his head, "it wasn't just me. On the way back I met my brother and your sister."

"Neesan? Where is she?"

"She went out to buy food."

Sakura sighed softly then let her smile faded away. Sasuke liked her most when she smiles.

"Thank you for being here, then." She chuckled, "honestly I don't want to wake up alone."

"…I know." Sasuke mumbled. It looked like the white bed got his full interest as he avoided his gaze from Sakura.

Since Sasuke's eyes weren't looking back at her, Sakura placed her left hand on his right cheek. Instinctively, he looked back at her with wide eyes.

(And extremely red cheeks. Mwahahaha!)

"It's so kind of you to be here. I'm happy that you're the first person I'll see."

Sasuke gulped down his saliva while watching her green eyes staring lovingly at him.

_This is the moment, Sasuke. This is the moment!_

His mind was trying to dictate him something. It was trying to push him to do whatever he has to. And so, giving in for the first time, he placed his hand over the one she used to place on his cheek. Sakura almost hung her mouth open upon contact.

"Sasuke…kun…" Her whisper still echoed in the air.

What shocked Sakura was the way Sasuke looked at her. She knew that he was telling her something by just reading his loving eyes.

(Loving eyes?)

"I…I've been meaning… to…"

"To?"

He thought something lodged in his throat that he was unable to tell her what exactly he wanted to say. But it didn't end there yet especially when his face slowly move forward to her face. He didn't quite put a finger why his body was moving to its own accord.

Sakura turned red from how Sasuke was trying to close their gap. Thousands of words entered her head but one thing was sure. She knew that Sasuke has something on her.

Sasuke…kun… 

Inches… centimeters… closer…

They both felt each other's hot breath at close proximity. One more move and Sasuke would be able to meet heaven through her lips.

Closer… closer…

BANG!

Alarmed, Sasuke jerked back to his chair looking as if something didn't occur while Sakura turned her head away.

"Oh…hohohohoho." Said the person who barged in.

Familiarizing with the owner of the voice, Sasuke threateningly looked to his side to see their blonde teammate casually walking towards Sakura's bed.

"First it was Itachi-nii-san and Kayako-nee-chan. Now it's Sasuke and Sakura-chan." The cheerful sly voice stung their ears.

But upon hearing something about their siblings, Sasuke stood up and looked at his teammate. Sakura turned her head to them with the same expression as Sasuke's.

"What happened to my brother?"

"What happened to my sister?"

Naruto could only blink at their sudden inquiries. Really, their plan of getting them back troubled the younger siblings too much.

"Anou… Me and Kakashi-sensei saw them at the rooftop."

"What!" They chorused.

Naruto seemed nervous at this. They weren't worrying about this before but now, just by looking at them, he knew that they were so much interested.

But before he could share that information, he wanted to know what's going on between them. Grinning widely, Sasuke and Sakura knew that something's up.

"I'll tell you what happened but you gotta tell me what's going on with you guys!"

Both of them had sweat drops from the side of their heads.

Stupid Naruto. 

-----------------------------------------

The invasion had stopped, thanks to the quick response of Konoha Nins. They captured all the intruders and placed them all in prisoners. The Hokage congratulated everyone's help during the event and offered to give high pays. He was also pleased to see that his number one ninja, Uchiha Itachi, and the talented kunoichi, Haruno Kayako, had finally stopped their own little war.

There weren't any big destructions thus the citizens of Konoha returned to their daily routine.

-----------------------------------------

"SAKURA-CHAN WAKE UP!"

Sakura scrambled her way to sit up upon hearing her sister's call from downstairs. Today is the day for Team Seven to meet up at the red bridge then Kakashi will have to inform them about their mission. Looking at the time, she groggily made her way towards the bathroom.

"He'll be late… it's okay…"

Kayako was done making their breakfast. After Sakura left, she has to go to the Hokage Tower for A-Class mission. It would be another solo mission if the Hokage didn't put in another name in the list. Waiting for Sakura to arrive, Kayako prepared their favorite juice, strawberry.

"Good morning." She greeted when her little sister climbed down the stairs.

"Morning." Sakura greeted. When she walked inside the kitchen, she smelled her favorite fruit, "hey that's strawberry!"

"Of course," Kayako replied and appeared on the dining table while she held two glasses of strawberry juices.

They ate in silence then after some time later, they heard someone knocked on their front door. Kayako stood up and told Sakura to place their dishes on the sink. When she was in front of the door, she revolved the knob the door to reveal the person from the outside.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun, good morning." She greeted with a smile.

"Good morning, Kayako-san." He replied with a bow.

"Are you here to pick her up?"

"Yeah." Kayako noticed the blush that crept on his cheeks she smiled. "Wait here a sec." She turned inside and called out her sister's name, "hey slowpoke, Sasuke-kun's here! I'm sure you want to hurry up now, right?"

"Okay, okay!" And Sakura did hurry up.

Kayako giggled then returned to the boy standing at their front door.

She smiled at him and said, "Please take care of my sister, especially during missions."

Sasuke stared at her for a while then nodded, "I will, Nee-chan."

She giggled again, "That's better."

Then they heard Sakura sprinting from second floor to the ground floor. When she neared the front door she slowed her pace as she started walking outside, bidding her sister good bye and started walking with Sasuke by her side.

When Kayako entered their house, Sasuke took Sakura's hand thus walking hand in hand towards Team 7's meeting place.

(KAWAII!)

-----------------------------------------

Uchiha Itachi left the Uchiha Manor at exactly eight forty-five in the morning. The Hokage called him yesterday, offering him to instruct a Ninja for the next mission. Itachi gladly accepted.

Jumping from one rooftop to another, he arrived at the Haruno Residence.

He promised to pick her up before he went to the Hokage Tower since they have the same time of meeting. Walking towards the porch and arriving in front of the door, Itachi gently knocked.

"Wait a minute!" A girl's voice hummed from the inside.

Itachi smirked as he withdrew his hand and waited for her patiently. After a minute or two, Kayako opened the door with a smile on her face.

"Morning, Itachi-kun."

"Morning, Yako-chan." Then he smiled.

Kayako locked the door of their home and jumped off with Itachi leading the way to the Hokage Tower. When Kayako caught up his pace, he grabbed her wrist to pull her to him then gave her a chaste kiss on her lips. Kayako turned red.

"This is what I've missed so much when we were in our team."

Kayako hesitated then answered, "Yeah… me, too."

Their relationship before? Well, actually, they were more than teammates and friends.

In other words, **lovers**.

**The End**

**Author's Note**: Wahaha a cheesy ending! I enjoyed this story hopefully you guys feel the same way. The SasuSaku hints are there as well as ItaKaya. Mwahahaha! Finally another story done! (Dance, dance, dance)

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1. BloodRuby  
2. carina28  
3. cinderella101  
4. December Jewel  
5. Demoneyes 14  
6. Dragon Man 180  
7. Gina01  
8. Gothbrat  
9. happy-yume  
10. Konoha-Traitor-Sasuke  
11. Matthias Chiu  
12. mYLILsEcReT923  
13. onlyhalfvampire  
14. Sakura-and-Gaara-4ever  
15. sasukefurever  
16. sasusaku4eva101  
17. secretheartache  
18. Shinobi Darkbeak  
19. Tears like Crystals  
20. tempus-hime  
21. Tenshi no Hana-chan  
22. The Killer Squirrel

**C2 WHO HAD this STORY: **(Thank you so much for including my story in your C2 Archives :D )

1. aWarD WiNNing aNiMe HiTs!  
2. H.I.K.A.R.I.Y.A.M.I.  
3. My all time favorite fics ever  
4. Sakura and Sasuke, flower and shadow  
5. sasuXsaku shrine

This story is actually, would almost be two years old! XD

**Announcement: **I'll be having an upcoming SasuSaku story, entitled as **Inverted Cross**. Watch out for this one:D


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